The Forgotten Castle
by Doomboy2000
Summary: Dreaming of you, and dreaming of promise; A promise to find you, and meet you on the other side. Book Two of Kingdom Hearts: Memorandum
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Disney or Square-Enix related. I do own all original characters and the plot.

Welcome: Here is the Prologue of The Forgotten Castle, second book of Kingdom Hearts: Memorandum, and sequal to Memories of Nobody. It's a prologue, hence, it's short. Chapters will be forthcoming. Tabun.

_Edit: __If you are reading this, then I have finished re-editing Memories of Nobody and The Forgotten Castle. Only superficial changes; mostly grammatical, spelling and word choice corrections have been made; character appearances, actions and plot remain as originally written. Also, for those reading this, a final chapter, a preview of sorts, has been left for your enjoyment and to think upon. As of this time, I will be taking a small break for planning and designing, after which actual work on Sin of Remembrance, the final book of Kingdom Hearts: Memorandum, will begin._

* * *

"_Indeed, the world is still a very dangerous place. _

_We must find a way to do battle with these enemies. _

_Thus I will both make amends and have my revenge. _

_It is for this reason that I infiltrated Castle Oblivion. _

_It consists of 13 floors above and 12 floors below ground, with the contents of its "White Rooms" transforming in response to its visitors' memories. Organization XIII was conducting experiments on memory here. _

_The subject in these experiments, a girl named Naminé, appeared to possess extremely unusual abilities. _

_Were they attempting to derive something from these powers?"_

- Secret Ansem Report 8

* * *

He sighed and pulled his jacket closer around himself. He had long since gotten rid of the black cloak that had marked him as a member of the Organization, a move he was beginning to regret in the chill night air. Shaking the feeling off, he continued down the beaten dirt path; the cold of night was a trifling matter in his quest. 

Sensing something behind him, he turned and looked. He saw nothing but the soft night breeze brushing through the long, uncut grass. Scanning about under the moonlit sky, he finally shrugged and returned to journeying down the path.

After a while, he came to a crossroads, the path splitting in four directions, including the one from which he came. Looking around, he could see no visible landmarks that differentiated one way from another. After momentarily consulting his inner sense of direction, he picked up a forlorn looking stick and tossed it into the air. After twirling around a few times, the broken length of branch came down, pointing ahead. He started to walk in the indicated direction, when something strange happened.

The stick moved.

As he watched, it turned, making a full circle until it came back around, pointing to the right. As he paused to watch it further, nothing else happened.

Shrugging, he changed course and went down the path to the right, but not before taking one last look around the darkened horizons. Feeling something odd, Rann only uttered one questioning word before walking down the path.

"…Ansem?"

* * *

The sun was setting on the tropical horizon, painting the sky in reds and oranges that echoed across the undulating ocean waves and the golden sands. Three friends sat together on the bent trunk of the paupu tree as they watched the setting sun, the same as they did every day. 

"It's good to be home," said Kir happily, smiling at his two best friends.

"You got that right," agreed Diant with a grin. There was a pause, and then the two boys looked over at their red-headed companion. "Kairi?"

"Hm? What?" she said, suddenly snapping out of her distant gaze. Diant frowned. "Um, yeah. Right."

"Sure," said the older boy, unconvinced. Kir probably hadn't noticed, but she'd been acting odd the past few days, ever since they got home. Was it because of that boy? That Nobody? Diant sighed and shrugged it off. The adventure was over now. No Heart was gone; the worlds were safe now. She'd get over it eventually. "Whatever. I need to be getting home now. Been falling a little behind in the schoolwork, you know?"

The other two nodded understandingly, both jumping down from their perches on the paupu tree's trunk as Diant got to his feet from leaning against it. Then something strange happened.

The world flashed hazy before his eyes, and Diant stumbled. Regaining his balance, he looked down at his hands and feet, trying to make out why he'd stumbled.

"What happened?" he asked weakly. Looking up, he saw both the young brunette Kir and the red-head Kairi had stunned expressions on their faces. "What?"

"Um," stammered Kir, "for a moment, you, um…"

"Flickered," finished Kairi for him. "Like you were starting to fade."

"What?" he said in a stunned voice. Then he grunted in pain at a sudden ache in his brain. Grabbing his head in one hand, he stared down at the other. He could see through it. "What's happening to me?"

As they watched, dark shadows formed on the ground beneath him, tendrils of darkness lashing up into the air around him.

"Diant!" yelled Kir, jumping back with his hand out as he summoned the keyblade. There was a flash of light, and then the young boy was looking down at his empty hand. "What? The keyblade is…"

"Grab my hand!" yelled Kairi desperately, leaning forwards as best she could without stepping into the gathering shadows. Diant leaned out towards her as Kir held onto her, pulling her back a little as the darkness expanded. Leaning out farther and farther, Diant reached out as far as he could; his feet were rooted to the spot. Their fingers were mere inches apart. Breaking free of Kir's hold, Kairi lunged forwards, swinging for his hand. "Diant!"

She passed right through him.

He stared in stunned confusion at his almost invisible hand, and then at Kairi. Then they were gone, and he was plunged into darkness.

Alone.

* * *

He was floating. 

He was floating on nothing. He could feel nothing, see nothing, hear nothing. All around him, nothing. And yet, there he was.

Concentrating, he tried to remember. Remember anything, anything at all. All he could recall was a blinding flash of light, and the thought of a single person. A girl. Who was she?

He tried to remember her name, but every time he could feel it just within his reach, it would slip out of his grasp. What was her name? It was important. He was sure it was. But what was it?

Then a voice interrupted his thoughts, a shattering presence in his solitude of nothing.

"Awaken, Daxtin."


	2. Awakening

Irashai: or Welcome. This is the second book of Kingdom Hearts Memorandum. I feel it may be the shortest of the three. But then, MoN was kind of short too. Who knows. Anyway, I finally have all the character design pictures done, and it's just a matter of photographing them and posting them on my homepage, accessible from my profile, for those who didn't know. I'll have to find time to steal my dad's camera at some point. Could be a while. On with the story. Let me know what you like, don't like, or think in general by reviewing, OK, bai-bai.

* * *

Chapter 1: Awakening

* * *

He was not exactly a large man, but fairly tall. He had steely grey eyes that peered out from under long, uncut brown bangs. His hair was fairly long, trailing down to his shoulders in rough-cut locks. His solemn expression was made even more intimidating by the X-shaped scar between his eyes, an old battle-wound he'd picked up a while ago.

The long hooded black cloak he'd once worn as a member of the Organization had been replaced by a sturdy leather jacket of short cut with long sleeves over a tight-fitting white shirt and loose black pants with buckles and straps on the legs, tucked into worn combat boots.

As of currently, he was staring at the imposing figure of the looming castle before him. It stood at the edge of the abyss, where the beaten dirt path had led him. Squared towers stuck out at odd angles, some pointing straight sideways. Additionally, something just felt wrong to him.

But something also told him that what he sought was inside. Ignoring his feelings of foreboding, he pushed open the tall double doors and walked inside.

As opposed to the brown and green outside design, the castle's insides were completely white. Everything shined brightly, all made from the same gleaming white material that was too pure to be marble. Even the roses that decorated the long halls were carved from it, hanging in vases that sprouted from the pillars lining the walls or atop the large cube pedestals that bordered the center path. Down at the other end of the hallway was a small set of stairs leading up to gleaming white double doors.

In the center of the hall was something that was not carved of the gleaming white material. It was a teenage boy, lying upon the cold alabaster ground. He looked to be unconscious.

Walking up, the man knelt down beside the prone body to take a closer look. The boy had spiky blonde hair that twisted off to the right over the smooth contours of his young face. He wore a black shirt bordered in white designs under a long sleeveless white trench coat with an interesting design embroidered on each side at the chest. It was a cross with pointed tips and a circle for the center. The rest of his ensemble was the white arm guards in matching design to the spiky swirls on his shirt, and the baggy tan pants that got baggier as they were replaced with black lower down above his black and white sneakers. The boy's eyes were closed, but he somehow knew they were a piercing blue. Somehow, the boy was familiar.

Suddenly, the boy gasped and sat up, eyes wide open. The man watched him with mild interest before standing up.

"You're… Daxtin," he said, watching as the boy looked around at his surroundings before standing up.

"Yeah," nodded the boy absently as he looked himself over. "I guess I am." He paused then and regarded the man before him. "I remember you. You're that man… Griever?"

"Not anymore," replied the man. "Griever was a man of the Organization. You can call me Rann."

"Rann," murmured Daxtin as he mulled it over. "That's what Okina called you. But what are you doing here?" He looked around again. "Where is here, anyway?"

"Not sure," said Rann shortly. "Some sort of castle."

"Castle Oblivion," supplied a smug female voice. Turning towards the front entrance, they spotted a small figure in a black cloak, maybe four foot six at most. The only visible feature was the lower half of her face, which bore a cocky grin. "The palace of memories."

"What do you mean?" demanded Daxtin, the aura blades Joiner and Divider flashing into existence in his hands. The two blades were each about three feet long with blunt ends, made of flat material about an inch thick that extended around the grips in hexagonal hand guards. Inset towards the ends of each were large luminescent blue-green orbs at the intersection of the stripes that ran down the length of the blade and that were perpendicular to them, forming a cross. One blade was white with black cross, the other was black with white cross. Both were dangerous weapons in his hands.

"She means 'Welcome!'" explained a cheery voice from behind them. Turning around, they spotted another short hooded figure standing upon the dais before the door leading further into the castle. This one revealed only a friendly smile on her young face. "Here you'll find what you seek and uncover mysterious secrets and, and…"

"Are you done being an idiot?" interrupted the first cloaked figure, appearing out of a swirl of shadows next to the second. "You're completely messing this up."

"Am not!" protested the other girl.

"Both of you, silence," came a third voice, this one quiet but firm. The owner of it appeared between the two bickering cloaked figures in a splash of darkness, identical to the other two but for the calm, solemn expression on what was revealed of her face. After checking over one shoulder and then the other to make sure her command had been followed, the newest arrival turned her attention on the two fighters standing before her. By now, Rann had also drawn his weapon, a wicked looking steel blade that was part gun, part sword, bent at the hilt to accompany its firing function. She looked from one armed warrior to the other, then sneered contemptuously, "Put those away."

The two men looked at each other before relaxing, though they kept their weapons at the ready.

"Who are you people?" asked Daxtin. Despite their similarity in fashion sense, these three didn't appear to be from Organization XIII, unless the Organization had reformed while he was unconscious, which was somewhat likely, and had started taking in children and midgets, which was less likely. "What do you want?"

"We are but servants of the darkness," replied the quiet girl. "We want you to find what you seek."

"What are you talking about?" shouted Daxtin in frustration.

"What is this place?" interrupted Rann, knowing his companion's question wouldn't be answered, except with more riddles.

"I told you, it's Castle Oblivion," explained the first, pushy cloaked figure with a tired expression. "Don't you listen?" Giving an angry huff, she turned and disappeared in a flurry of twisting shadows.

"This is the place of secrets," said the second, cheerier hooded person. "The further you travel, the more memories you'll lose. But as you do, the true memories will be revealed." Giving a smile and little giggle, she struck a cutesy pose before disappearing in a swirl of darkness.

"In this castle, you must forget to remember," said the third girl solemnly. "Here, to find is to lose and to lose is to find." She turned around and began to walk away from them across the dais, swirling tendrils of darkness engulfing her. "Here you will meet people you know. People you miss."

"What do you mean… you mean Kairi? And Anya?" asked Daxtin hopefully. "Are they here too?"

"To find out, you'll have to travel within," she said quietly, looking over her shoulder at him through the churning shadows around her. "Go. To lose and claim anew, or to claim anew, only to lose…"

And then she was gone.

"What do they mean?" asked Daxtin, this time looking to Rann. The older man only shrugged and walked forwards, his boots clicking against the hard stone steps up to the doors that led inwards.

"Not sure," he replied shortly. "But I have this feeling… that I'll find what I seek here. I'll find her." Rather than ask the obvious question, Daxtin chose instead to comment on the feeling.

"Yeah, I feel the same way too," he said, stepping up next to him. "Just this feeling that I'll find what I'm looking for. Though, I'm not sure what it is I'm looking for."

"Isn't it the princess, Kairi?" asked Rann mildly, looking down at him as he placed his hand on one of the doors.

"Wh-what?" sputtered Daxtin, blushing. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," murmured Rann, tucking the thought away for future discussion as he placed his other hand on the opposite door. "Come on. We'll never find whatever it is if we just stand here."

He pushed the way open and they stepped into the light beyond.

* * *

"This is…Twilight Town?" said Daxtin in a stunned voice, looking around. Around them were houses in modern design basking the golden glow of the perpetual sunset of what Daxtin thought of as his home town. In truth, he had only ever lived in the town for a few months, kept there and implanted with false memories by the manipulative witch, Emeline, who had turned out to be Xenthora, a vessel of the being known as No Heart. Daxtin, with the help of his Other, Diant, had managed to seal No Heart away, though after that, the boy had disappeared, only to awaken just moments ago in Castle Oblivion, so he was unsure of how things had actually turned out. "How can we be in Twilight Town?" 

"You aren't," replied a familiar calm voice. The third hooded girl, still calm and quiet, had appeared on a nearby flat rooftop, her legs dangling over the side. She held a smaller cloaked figure in her lap that was about two feet tall and chubby with stiff arms that stood out from its sides comically in a way that suggested it was an inanimate object. The little hood on it revealed nothing off its face, though the tall protrusions on top looked like horns, or maybe ears.. "This is but an illusion," she explained. "An image fabricated from your memories. The rooms in the castle react to your memories, revealing truths and insights. As you travel through, your memories will fall from you like discarded items of clothing, until they finally reveal the true memories beneath."

"The true memories?" asked Daxtin in a puzzled voice.

"To reveal what you truly want…" she murmured quietly before disappearing in a flurry of shadows, leaving them alone.

"Huh," grunted Rann noncommittally.

"What do you think she means?" wondered Daxtin, looking up to his quiet companion's scarred face. The man ignored him and instead walked onwards.

"Let's check around," he said authoritatively. "Maybe there's a clue around here as to what's going on."

In a large sandy lot, unoriginally named the Sandlot, the pair's investigations were halted as several slithering white figures appeared before them. The creatures had rubbery white bodies that seemed to move in all defiance of physics and physiology, with truncated blocky heads and zipper mouths that revealed jagged dark teeth inside the white suit.

"Nobodies," hissed Rann, drawing his gunblade as Daxtin summoned his aura blades. People are made of heart, body and soul. When a person's heart was lost to the darkness, the heart becomes a mindless creature of the dark, called a Heartless. In most cases, the body and soul, without the heart, would lose cohesion and disappear. However, if a person was strong of will, their bodies and souls would continue living. These creatures, devoid of heart, and therefore emotion, were of neither darkness nor light, but of nothing, and called Nobodies. "I guess the castle recreates our enemies too."

"We can take 'em," said Daxtin confidently, lunging forwards at the nearest Dusk. His blades slammed into the white creature, knocking it away as it shook and warped from the blow, its limbs following with delayed timing after its body and stricken head. Dodging to the side as the creature twisted and counterattacked with a double-legged kick, the blonde fighter took advantage of the opening and smashed in the creature's face, destroying it in a flash of light.

"Watch it, kid," warned Rann, alerting Daxtin just as one of the other Nobodies leapt at him to attack. The boy blocked with one aura blade then struck back with the other, narrowly missing the twisting figure. He lunged forwards, jabbing out with one blade, then the other, driving the creature back as it pirouetted away just out of reach. Its light stepped dance was cut off as several feet of cold steel came down on it, splitting the white being in two before it disappeared in a pop of light and released energy.

"Is that it?" asked Daxtin cautiously, looking around.

Rann nodded.

Daxtin was impressed. There had been at least three other Dusks besides the ones he'd been fighting. But then, Daxtin had seen the man fight before, had fought against him; it was not an experience he cared to repeat.

"Can't you control them?" complained Daxtin. "I mean, you _were_ in Organization XIII."

"Can't _you_control them?" Rann replied calmly. "After all, you're the Nobody."

"Touché," replied the boy, falling silent after that. Looking around, he turned and started off towards the Tram Commons. "Come on, this way."

After a few winding streets and ups and downs, they came to the Orphanage where Daxtin had lived most his life, both in terms of his falsified memories and in actual percentage of the few months since he had first separated from Diant, his Other. Walking in to the reception area, he looked about before heading off to the kitchen and dining room with Rann in tow, sure that he would find the matron there. Sure enough, the motherly looking old woman was there, fixing up an afternoon snack for the younger children who lived here. She looked up in surprise at the entrance of the teenager and the tall man.

"Hey, Matron, I'm back," said Daxtin cheerfully, waving casually at her. Instead of her usual warm smile, all he received instead was a puzzled look.

"Excuse me?" she asked in confusion. "Do I know you?"

"What? Don't you recognize me?" replied Daxtin, his brow creasing in worry. "I'm the oldest kid at the Orphanage. I've only been gone a few days. Don't you remember?"

"Of course not," replied the matron simply. "I've never seen you before in my life."

"What? Is this some kind of joke?" said the boy, looking crestfallen at the lack of recognition. He looked to the kids at the table pleadingly. "Come on, guys, don't you recognize me?"

The orphans all shook their heads and continued to watch him with wide, wary eyes.

"Stop pestering the children, Daxtin," the matron admonished. "Now, if you have some business with me, I'd be glad to–"

"Hey, you just called me by name!" he exclaimed. "So it _was_ a joke."

"What? No… I'm sure I don't know you," she replied uncertainly. "But I don't know why I know your name."

"Are you sure? You don't remember anything?" he asked helplessly. The matron only shook her head. When he looked to them, so did the children seated at the table.

"Let's go," interrupted Rann simply, grabbing him by the shoulder and pulling him away. "I don't think we're going to find anything here."

"Um, sorry for bothering you," the boy called to the matron as he was ushered out the door. "Even if you don't remember me, thanks for all you've done."

Leaving the woman with a confused look on her face, the two exited and walked away down the street.

"That's strange," replied Daxtin. "She didn't remember me, but she knew my name…"  
"Remember, this is just an illusion created from your memories," said Rann as they walked. "That wasn't really her. The illusion probably doesn't include them remembering you probably."

"Yeah, but that still doesn't explain her knowing my name," pouted Daxtin, finding no solace in the older man's explanation. To this, Rann had no answer.

* * *

They spent the rest of the day checking out various parts of town, talking with people who should remember who Daxtin was, but didn't. All of them saw him as a complete stranger, though occasionally they'd call him by name. At first, he'd catch them on it every time, pointing it out, but all it served to do was make them more confused. After a while, the boy gave up on pointing it out. 

"We've checked the whole town, and not a clue as to what's going on," sighed Daxtin in frustration. "No one knows me, and no one knows why!"

"Have we checked everywhere?" asked Rann clinically. While Daxtin had jumped from idea to idea, it was his thought to go through the entirety of Twilight Town on a systematic search.

"Well…everywhere but the Old Mansion," said Daxtin. He shrugged at the thought. "There's nothing there, just an old abandoned house. Nobody's going to be there."

"Maybe we're not looking for a person to give us a clue as to how to proceed, but a place," suggested Rann rationally. His deep sounding thought was only greeted by a raised eyebrow that questioned his sanity. "Besides, it's the only place we haven't checked."

Daxtin watched him a moment more, trying to ascertain if the man was going to try to sound cool again, and then, satisfied that he wasn't, turned and led the way out of the Tram Commons and through the forest to the Old Mansion.

The dilapidated brick building was still in surprisingly good shape for having no one care for it and being overgrown with a veritable army of ivy. Broken pillars littered the yard that stood between the front door and the black iron gate that kept everyone out of the place. The setting sun cast the open area before the gates in golden hues of red and orange as it set the sky ablaze in similar fashion.

"I told you, there's nothing here," said Daxtin with gloomy defeatist triumph. Looking to see his quiet companion admit defeat, he instead found the man pointing off to one side. Following the proffered finger, his eyes went to a slight warping in the air that soon exploded into a roiling mass of shadows and darkness that hovered in the air before expanding and touching down and then solidifying into a dark gateway. Out of it tumbled a young boy. Taking a second look, Daxtin corrected himself; it was a young _girl_, only dressed in a boy's black suit and jacket. She looked up at him with pleading eyes before stumbling and falling to the ground, exhausted and bleeding from multiple wounds.

"Anya?" gasped Daxtin in surprise, running over to help the dark-haired girl up.

"Help me," she murmured. He helped her to her feet, then caught her again as she stumbled and fell against him. Before anything else could be said, dark portals opened all around them, and armored creatures, constructs of paper and magic created by the witch Emeline, poured forth from them. They moved with robotic grace, flowingly stiff in their fancy armor and carven blades. "Damn… she's caught up with me."

Before Daxtin could stop her, Anya pushed away from him and charged at the creatures, the black spar of darkness known as the Shadow Lance appearing in her hand. She ducked under the slow, predictable slash of the first armored enemy, dispatching the construct with a quick flick of her dark weapon, causing it to crumple and shred into the paper from which it was made. She continued on to the next one, but in her fatigue, she stumbled and fell, lying helplessly before the oncoming enemies.

"Anya, look out!" yelled Daxtin, lunging in after her, Rann just behind him. Joiner and Divider flashed into life in his hands, dispatching enemies left and right in a flurry of whirling blades and blue-green fire. While the boy attacked recklessly in his haste to get to his fallen friend, Rann waded into the battle calmly, easily dispatching the paper foes that got past Daxtin's wild swinging. It wasn't long until the area was cleared, and the last of the armored construct were retreating back into the dark portals from whence they came.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders and propping her up, Daxtin knelt beside the girl with a worried expression on his face.

"Anya, are you alright?" he asked anxiously as she wiped at the blood coming from the corner of her mouth.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Daxtin" she replied. Then she looked up at him. "But who are you?"

The two of them filled Anya in on the situation, Daxtin doing most of the talking with Rann only stepping in to point out things that the adolescent glossed over in his excitement. After a quick questioning of her memories, they found that she too didn't remember him, despite knowing his name.

"Not even when I rescued you from becoming your darkness?" he asked, prodding at specific events in hopes of jogging her memories. She shook her head. "You were trapped inside your darkness, and I used Divider to save you–"

"And you said, 'Anya, I hope this reaches you'," she finished for him. At his stunned expression she paused, and thought over what she had just said. "But… I'm sure I don't know you… how could I remember something like that?"

"Besides, wasn't she trapped inside her darkness when you said that?" pointed out Rann. "She wouldn't have actually heard you say that."

"Then why _does_ she remember?" asked Daxtin, thoroughly confused.

"You say this is all inside a castle," the dark girl reiterated, indicating the surrounding forest and mansion, "and that it's all an illusion created from you memories. Daxtin, I think I'm one of those illusions."

"What? That can't be!" exclaimed Daxtin. "You're my friend!"

"What she says makes sense," mused Rann. "After all, just like the Matron and the others, she doesn't have any memories of you."

"But that still doesn't explain how she, or anyone else, knows my name," he pointed out. "Or how she remembers those other things."

"I think," started Anya, "it's because I'm made from your memories that I can know these things. I don't remember things that I should, and I remember things that I shouldn't, things that I couldn't. Daxtin, I think your heart is remembering for me."

"What?" asked Daxtin. "What do you mean?"

"Even if I don't know you, you have so many memories of us together," she explained. "The memories must resonate in my heart too. Only, I remember them from_your_ memories. That's why I remember what you said as you used Divider to save me, but I have no memories of what went on while I was trapped inside the darkness. I'm sorry, Daxtin, but I'm not the one you're looking for. I'm just another part of the castle."

"Don't say that!" shouted Daxtin in frustration. "Don't tell me I just found you, but I didn't!"

"Calm down, kid," said Rann firmly, grabbing him by the shoulder. "She's just telling you the truth. I'm sure if I tried, I could get her to remember things from the Organization, based on my memories."

"He's right," Anya admitted. She sighed then, and turned towards the Old Mansion. "This is where we first met. You remember that now, don't you?"

"Yeah," replied Daxtin distantly. Then it occurred to him, and he said, "Yeah, I do. But I didn't until just a few minutes ago. When I told Rann about the Old Mansion, I had completely forgotten that this was where it all started!" He paused and looked at the other two with worried eyes. "Is this what those girls meant? About forgetting?"

"It's possible," Rann admitted. "You've learned something about the castle, and you almost forgot something as important as the start of your journey."

"Then you need to hurry through here as fast as you can, before you forget anymore," said Anya. Summoning the Shadow Lance, she cut at the gate in two quick slashes, and the black iron fell before her in pieces. "The door to the mansion will lead to the next floor. You should go now."

"Sure," said Daxtin as Rann brushed past him, watching as she walked away down the path into the forest. He turned, and then, just as he was about to start out after Rann, stopped as a hand came down on his shoulder. Turning, he found himself facing Anya again. "What's up?"

"I won't claim to understand all of it, but there's something you need to know," she told him. "This town, it's all just an illusion, created by your memories. So am I."

"I know," he said quietly. "I know it's true, but it's still depressing. It's just, you seem so real…"

"That's exactly my point," said Anya solemnly. "Daxtin, beware you memories. In the journey to come, you'll be faced with more illusions. Sometimes the shadows of your memory will deceive you, try to lead you astray."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I'm just a creation of your memories," she replied. "The truth is beyond my reach."

"Hey, you coming or what?" shouted Rann from the mansion's porch.

"Just a second," Daxtin shouted over his shoulder. "Well, guess I have to get going…

When he had turned back, Anya was gone

"Where'd she go?"

"Where'd who go?" asked Rann, walking up to him. Daxtin looked to him, then back to the clearing, then back to him again with a flustered expression on his face.

"But she was just here! Anya was," he explained, waving his arms for emphasis.

"She left after she said we should go, remember?" said the steely eyed man. Taking one look at Daxtin's confused and unbelieving face, he sighed and shrugged. "…Whatever. Let's just go before you start forgetting anything else."

Rann walked back to the mansion doors, Daxtin following close behind, though not before looking back towards Twilight Town one last time.

"So this is what she meant," he murmured before following him through the door.

* * *

"So, did we do alright, Mistress?" asked the first hooded figure, her confidant grin absent as she waited for her master's answer. She sat on the edge of one of the many square pedestals that lined the castle walkways. Her cheery companion was sitting across from her on another pedestal, her legs swinging back and forth as she waited anxiously for their mistress's reply. The third cloaked figure sat on the steps of the raised dais that dominated the center of the room, absently chewing on one of the protrusions of the small cloaked body she held as she awaited an answer. 

"I suppose," came the languid reply. It came from the curvaceous figure lounging on the throne. She wore a dark dress in strict contrast of her pale white skin, coming up to just above her bust, leaving her shoulders bare. Her arms were sleeved in skin-tight black gloves with long, slim pointed fingers, one hand resting upon the arm of her throne, the other caressing a glass of blood-red wine. Stark, black spikes protruded from her wrists, connected by a ring of the same dark metal. Her face, amid the mass of her inky black hair, was shrouded in darkness as she leaned back in her seat, revealing only her piercing eyes, yellow like a cat's. "Though try not to act so foolishly before our guests next time."

The first girl flushed angrily at the slight, while the second blushed in embarrassment. The third black cloaked child merely smirked.

"Well, I think it's about time to test him again," said the dark woman from her throne. "Any volunteers?"

"I'll do it," offered the first girl with a grin, jumping down off the pedestal and cracking her knuckles. "Let's see what this kid's made of."

"Don't break him," warned the quiet one as she walked by towards the stairs.

"Oh, I won't hurt him," replied the fighter flippantly, and then added, "much."


	3. Purpose

Oh-Noes, the Bar Button's Broken (_edit: no fixed)_: I think that says it all. Here's the next chapter. And I've finished all the character sketches now for all of Kingdom Hearts: Memorandum. You can view the gallery at my homepage in my profile here, though I advise against clicking on anything about characters that have not been introduced yet, as it's liable to be a spoiler. You are warned.

Also, I've apparently got two new reviewers. Death's Mercenary, who was reviewing my other story, and now somone who, oddly enough, is named Elias Daemonwing, apparently after my character from Black Orchid. Strange...

* * *

Chapter 2: Purpose

* * *

As the light faded and their eyes adjusted to the bright surroundings of the castle hallway, the two questing warriors stepped out of the doorway and once again into the pristine white confines of Castle Oblivion. Moving towards the stairs opposite that lead higher into the castle, they stopped as a swirl of shadows turned into a short, dark-cloaked figure. The revealed lower half of a face grinned menacingly at the two men.

"So, you two still here?" she asked flippantly. "Not scared off at losing a little memory?"

"I'm not frightened," shot back Daxtin quickly. "I'll find out what this place is and who you are no matter what."

"Is that really what you came here for?" asked the cloaked girl teasingly. "No matter. That's not what I'm here for."

"Then what are you here for?" the boy asked cautiously, still wary of this cloaked enemy. He jumped back, drawing his weapons as the girl threw off her cloak, the black material disintegrating into shadow in the air behind her.

"You may have accepted our challenge, but that doesn't mean we think you're worthy to get what you want," she said with a vicious grin. A green-eyed young girl with a blaze of frighteningly bright red hair in short spikes and tufts atop her head looked at them with a fiery gaze, her stance confident, challenging them to try and best her. She also had a gold ring through her left eyebrow and a long, wrapped braid that went down almost to her ankles, tufts of red hair sticking out from the end of the white wrapping just after a white and red cinch with feathery, crafted white wings sticking out. She wore a short sleeved jacket in reds and whites with its hood thrown back, its bottom edge reaching only just above the hem of her tight-fitting white shirt which failed to cover her neckline or her midriff. Arms akimbo, she stood with her hands in worn battle gloves against her hips, over loose, but not too baggy white pants with patched knees. She also wore a red leather belt and steel-toed shoes. Still smiling widely, she approached them and cracked her knuckles menacingly. "I'm Sam. Now let's see what you're made of. If you don't try your hardest, I'll kill you."

Their self-proclaimed evaluator and executioner shot forwards, one arm pulled back to punch. Daxtin and Rann dodged to opposite sides of the incoming girl, more out of surprise than fear of the petite red-head. However, it did turn out to be the right move.

Sam's fist shot forwards as she reached them, missing Daxtin by mere inches. When she punched, the air shook, cracking with the sudden thunder of a sonic boom. Behind them, the way they had come, delicate white roses shattered as the shockwave rolled down the hallway. Standing straight, she looked back over her shoulder at the two shocked figures.

"Surprised? Here's a freebie then," taunted Sam with a smirk. "Don't underestimate either me or my sisters because of how we look. We're easily powerful enough to kill you if we were so inclined."

"Big words," replied Rann calmly, "but let's see how you like this." He threw out his free hand at her, fingers curling inwards in a menacing claw. "Fire!"

Nothing happened.

"What's happened…?" he asked cautiously, his usual confidence shaken. "I can't feel it… Lionheart neither." He backed away from the grinning redhead and looked over to Daxtin. "Kid, can you feel your power?"

"What?" replied the boy in confusion.

"What have you done?" demanded Rann, holding his gunblade before him at the young girl.

"Done? I haven't done anything," shrugged Sam innocently, though her malicious expression was anything but. "It's this castle. As soon as you stepped through the doorway, you forgot every spell and every technique you ever knew. The boy doesn't notice because all of his power was on instinct and emotion; he never really controlled or knew it to begin with. It's really too bad," she added with mock regret. "I had forgotten about that; been looking for a challenge and all. Oh, well."

"You want a challenge, huh?" yelled Daxtin, gripping his aura blades tighter. "Come on, then, show me what you've got!"

"Now that's more like it!" shouted Sam, lunging at him. As he dodged to the right, she planted one foot, swinging around with the other, shifting her weight so she could turn without losing momentum. Daxtin raised his blades in time to block her strike, but it still sent him reeling back, his arms tingling from the impact.

With a yell, Rann came charging in, his blade swinging in from the side. Sam blocked, the steel of the gunblade ricocheting off the metal plates on her glove. He swung again in a series of quick strikes, each blow glancing off her raised guards with showers of sparks. Coming up quick, the tall warrior attacked with a powerful downwards swing to cleave her in two. The red-haired fighter's hands came up crossed, using the metal plates on the backs of her gloves to catch the incoming sword with a loud clang. The two of them strained against each other, his blade caught in her guard.

Then Daxtin came running back in from behind her. Ducking, Sam lunged under Rann's blade, grabbing his wrists and directing his force past her, grabbing his leg as he went by and sending him flipping head over heels at Daxtin. The boy dodged under, and then in a surprising burst of speed, shot forwards at her. She easily sidestepped him as he shot past, but he turned as he went, and then pushed off one of the large square pedestals, sending him arcing through the air back at her. He came shooting down at her, barely giving her time to move out of the way as he slammed into the ground beside her.

"Joiner!" He yelled, the white blade slashing at her feet. There was a flash of light, and then he was charging back at her. Smiling at his predictable attacks, the grin suddenly slid from Sam's face as she tried to move, and couldn't. Her feet were stuck.

Too late, she looked back up at him and raised her arms to block. He struck her in a flash of light, the orbs inset in the aura blades flaring their blue-green fire. The girl disappeared into shreds of darkness at his strike. They had won.

"We beat her," said Daxtin, grinning over at Rann as he got to his feet, brushing himself off. The imposing brunette did not appear to share his enthusiasm.

"…whatever," he murmured noncommittally.

"Yeah, it looks like you're not useless after all," came a disturbingly familiar voice. Jerking around to face the source, the two found themselves looking at Sam again, this time standing before the stairs up to the next floor. "That was inventive; you actually caught me off guard. I guess I see why she's interested in you."

"She? She who?" asked Daxtin, curiosity overcoming caution as he walked towards her, though he kept his blades ready.

"I'm not telling," replied Sam, backing off with her hands up and out of the matter. "You'll have to find out for yourself. Just keep on going through this castle, and I can guarantee you'll meet someone special."

"And what do you mean by that?" demanded Daxtin. "Is this some kind of trick?"

"Oh, don't worry. If you think it's too dangerous, you can always turn back," said Sam with a smirk. She then turned and sighed with mock sorrow. "But she'll be _so_ heartbroken to hear you didn't want to come for her. But I'm not sure you'd understand, being so new to having a heart and all." She paused then, as if considering the matter. "And she _believed_ in you so."

"Kairi? You mean Kairi, don't you?" he said, almost shouted as he leaned forwards towards. "What have you done with her?"

"Oops, think I've said too much," said Sam with a confident grin, leaning back and watching him with amusement. "Well, see ya later then. And try not to die; I'm sure she'd be very upset if you did."

Daxtin ran down the hall to catch her, but by the time he reached the bottom of the stairs, she was already gone in a flurry of shadows. Instead of being frustrated, he seemed more worried than anything else.

"Kairi… do they really have her?" he wondered aloud.

* * *

"You were only to test him," murmured the third sister, hugging the smaller cloaked figure she carried close to her breast. "Telling him that was overstepping you bounds."

"Pfft, whatever," Sam blew her off. "You're just jealous that you didn't think of it. You think you're so high and mighty, following the rules, but you're just jealous that you can't innovate for yourself, you dumb–"

"That's enough," came their mistress's voice, cutting off any further bickering. "She's right though. You did overstep your instructions." At this, the usually cocky fighter managed to look ashamed. "However, I do applaud your effort. I was not planning to let him know about her until later, but then again, now he'll fight harder than ever, revealing his real power. It is this true nature that I want to know… the nature of this… Nobody with a heart." She paused then, leaning back in her throne, a soft, subtle smile spreading across her full, perfectly formed lips. "Yes, I think this will be just fine. Now, as for our next part…"

* * *

"I wonder how they found her," muttered Daxtin to himself as he came out on the top of the stairs. "Well… she had been trapped by the darkness… but when we defeated No Heart, I figured that everything would go back to normal… and that I'd just become part of Diant… but I didn't… so maybe she didn't end up back on Destiny Islands?" He turned back to his near-silent companion. "Hey, um, Rann? How long do you think I've been, well, gone?"

The man stopped, pausing to consider the question. Daxtin waited near the dais to that led to the doors further into the castle.

"I was last in Hollow Bastion when you were going to the World That Never Was for the last time. I assume was the same day that saw the fall of Organization XIII," he reasoned out calmly to the adolescent. "That was about a week ago."

"A week, huh?" murmured Daxtin. "Maybe she didn't get back safely…"

"Either way, let's move on," said Rann shortly, brushing past him and up to the door. "There's no point in staying here."

"Right," agreed the boy, nodding and then running up next to him. Stepping forth, he laid both hand against the doors and then pushed them open. There was a flash of light, and then they were inside.

* * *

"Where is this?"

Daxtin looked about at the unfamiliar area. They were in a small, flourishing sea-side town of unfamiliar architecture, the houses made with white stucco walls, though some of the larger buildings were of wood or stone. Gulls cried in the wind high above as they circled the harbor. The thing that most caught their attention was the large curving towered dome of a building that dominated the edge of the town. Floating halos of metal slowly spun around the central spire of the building, some tethered to the ground, others not. All in light blues and gold highlights, it was an impressive sight.

"Not sure," replied Rann simply, starting off down the cobblestone street towards the imposing structure. Daxtin, noticing that he was being left behind, hurried after him.

"Then where are you going?" he asked, a little put off by his casual near-abandonment.

"That place looks to be the most important," he said simply. "So we'll check there first."

Failing to find fault in his logic, Daxtin fell into step next to the taller man.

"This castle reacts to our memories, right?" the boy started off with. Rann nodded absently as his raptor sharp gaze remained on his destination. "Then if I don't remember this place, and you don't remember it, then whose memory is it?"

"Well, are you sure you don't remember?" questioned the taciturn man. "Diant did a lot of traveling with the keyblade master before he joined the Organization. Don't you remember if he visited this place?"

"Actually, no," replied Daxtin uneasily. "I was told a Nobody retains their memories, but… I never did. Or maybe I did, and I don't remember. Emeline, I mean, Xenthora, rewrote my memories, so all I know before the Organization and that stuff started is Twilight Town. Maybe Diant did go here."

"So this is a memory from the other side of your heart," he reasoned.

"I don't have a heart," muttered Daxtin quietly. Rann seemed to have something to say about that, but remained silent on that point. Soon after, they came to the entrance of the giant, almost alien, structure.

The entry way went between well cared for gardens, leading up to a set of turnstiles between two booths, one empty, the other with a tired-looking old man in uniform sleeping in it. Rather than waking the poor guy up, the two easily jumped the turnstiles and walked into the compound. This didn't go quite as smoothly as they might have wanted, as they were immediately ambushed once inside.

"Defeat the evil invaders!"

Rann easily stepped back out of the way of the flying jump-kick, letting Daxtin take the blow right in the head, sending him sprawling as their assailant landed between the two of them, standing tall and proud.

"What the hell was that?" demanded the floored boy, scrambling to his feet.

"I should ask what you people are doing, just coming in here on your own," replied their attacker. It was a young man, a little older than Daxtin, with a cocky grin and a confident look in his bright blue eyes. His blonde hair shot back from his head in jagged, wild, windswept spikes. He wore a padded red vest over loose white T-shirt and baggy black shorts. He had metal plated gloves and heavy combat boots on his feet. "This is a military academy, not some visitor's center."

"Then you should label it better!" Daxtin yelled back, barely keeping himself from strangling the presumptive youth facing him. "How the hell were we supposed to know that?"

"Everybody knows a Garden when they see it!" shouted back the young vigilante. "What are you, from another world?"

Daxtin opened his mouth to reply that, yes, they were in fact from another world, but Rann quickly wrapped an arm around his face, pulling him back and preventing him from speaking.

"It was an honest mistake. We don't travel much, so we didn't recognize the place," said Rann simply. Looking around, he noticed a number of people in black uniforms with silver linings walking about, among others looking to be their aggressor's age and dressed in a variety of styles. "So, could you explain to us what a Garden is? And who you are?"

"I'm Daxtin and this is Rann," said the Nobody, regaining his temper and pointing a thumb first to himself then to his solemn companion.

"Hey, I'm Laev Dincht," said the kid. "Sorry about kicking you, but generally no one but students and staff members is allowed in."

"And this gives you the authority to kick anyone you don't recognize in the face?" asked Daxtin incredulously. Laev flushed at the question and grinned sheepishly.

"Anyway, welcome the Balamb. A Garden is where elite mercenary soldiers, SeeDs are trained," he explained, quickly changing the subject. "We do jobs all over the world, from taking care of local problems to fighting in wars. A well trained SeeD is easily worth twenty foot soldiers."

"Impressive," murmured Rann, looking about.

"Can we get a tour?" asked Daxtin, the intrigue of such a place overcoming his anger at being attacked with enthusiasm and curiosity.

"Sure, I got some time to burn," said Laev with a grin. "Let's see if we can grab some hotdogs in the cafeteria."

* * *

"I can't believe they were out!" yelled the SeeD-in-Training, venting his frustration by kicking over an unoffending trashcan. "Every single time!"

"Don't worry so much about it," said Daxtin wearily. The other boy had been fuming about the lack of hotdogs for the past half-hour almost. "I wasn't all that hungry anyway."

"But it's the principle of–" started Laev, before Rann silenced him with a cautionary finger held before his face. "What?"

"Listen," said the taciturn brunette simply. The trio paused and listened for any suspicious noise.

"I don't hear anything," said Laev, looking up suspiciously at Rann.

"Same," agreed Daxtin.

"Exactly," said Rann. "This is an academy full of teenage students and instructors on subjects ranging from magic to hand-to-hand combat, right?" Laev nodded, not seeing where he was going with this. "Then why is it silent?"

It suddenly occurred to the two boys that they hadn't seen anyone in the past two minutes, nor had they heard anything. Taking defensive stances, the trio looked around for the source of the strange silence. It didn't take long to spot it.

"Heartless," hissed Daxtin, watching the puddles of darkness scurry and form into the clawing, ant-like creatures known as shadows, their antenna twitching as their hungry yellow eyes looked about curiously. Joiner and Divider appeared in his grip as the creatures closed in on them.

"Heartless? What are Heartless?" asked Laev, watching the creatures nervously.

"They are the darkness in people's hearts," stated Rann coldly, assessing the situation. "We head for the entrance."

"What are you talking about? That's where they're thickest!" yelled Laev, appalled by the man's lack of strategy.

"Then that's where they're coming from," replied the man simply before charging ahead into the mass of shadows. Shrugging at the Garden student, Daxtin gave a yell and ran in after him. Looking about and seeing that he was soon to be surrounded, Laev quickly followed the pair into battle.

Daxtin lashed out at any Heartless that got in his way as he ran for the entrance to the Garden. Ahead of him, down the wide, spacious hall, Rann cut a vicious swathe through the ranks of Heartless, easily slicing shadows in half with each stroke of his sword. Behind him, Laev took out the creatures in quick sets of jabs and thrusts, the shadows exploding in a fine mist of darkness as his metal-plated fists impacted into their soft, slick bodies.

As they came closer to the center of the Garden, they passed into an area of the hallway that had windows opening up into the inner quads. The sunny, open plazas were blanketed in black, a veritable sea of Heartless filling the academy. Here and there, pockets of resistance stood out where students and teachers stood fighting off the shadowy mass, but it would be impossible to try and reach them.

"We can't just leave them!" yelled Laev, pointing to one of the nearby groups of SeeDs fighting off the monsters.

"Yeah, we have to help!" agreed Daxtin, cutting down an attacking shadow then looking up at Rann, who had become the unofficial leader in this time of strife.

"The only help we can give is to cut them off at the source," he stated simply, cutting off any argument with his piercing, raptor-like glare. "Let's go."

Taking one last look at the struggling students, Daxtin shook his head and followed after Rann and Laev as they left the Garden.

* * *

"They're in the town also?" said Daxtin despairingly as they looked about.

"But they're coming from outside it," noted Rann. He turned to Laev. "Are there any places of power, any landmarks nearby outside of Balamb that they might be coming from?"

"The Fire Caverns," answered the teenager quickly. He began running off down the street, skirting around groups of Heartless here and there. "Come on, follow me!"

Once outside of town, Laev led them a mile or so down the coast. While they did still encounter groups of Heartless, the enemies were much more spread out here in the countryside. However, as they approached the Fire Caverns, the frequency with which they met Heartless began to increase again.

"They're definitely coming from here," said Rann as they approached the rocky entrance to the caves. "Anything we should know about this place before we go in?"

"It's full of lava, for one thing," replied Laev. "Other than that, I don't_think_ there's anything else important."

"Right, then," said the brunette. "Let's finish this."

* * *

The inside of the Fire Caverns was like a furnace. The thin rock path led the way between glowing rivers of lava. The very air sizzled around them. Daxtin was surprised that they didn't just roast where they stood from the heat.

When they were towards the end of the caverns, according to Laev, they encountered another group of Heartless. These included red nocturnes, fire-aligned heartless mages that floated about in the air, their glowing eyes looking out from between yellow hats and red robes.

Dodging a fireball flung by one of the diminutive mages, Daxtin jumped on top of an attacking shadow, and then launched himself up at the offending nocturne. Joining the monster to the end of his blade, he swung it around his head before dividing it from his weapon, releasing the fiery projectile at another Heartless, destroying both. Landing, he kicked a shadow away from him before taking the dark creature out in a quick series of slashes. Finishing off another Heartless behind it, he sighed and looked about the now-cleared cavern.

"Well, is that the last of–" he started, but then Rann grabbed him by the collar and flung him down onto the rocky ground. With a quick slash of his gunblade, he knocked away a shadow that had been about to pounce on the boy's unprotected back.

"Fire," he shouted, leveling his hand at the temporarily airborne Heartless. A bolt of flame shot from his hand, incinerating the creature on contact.

"Hey, you're magic's back," said Daxtin happily, getting up and brushing himself off.

"Still weak," was his only response. Without another word, he headed off deeper into the cavern. Shrugging, Laev followed, with Daxtin close behind.

* * *

"It might just be me, but I think that _this_ qualifies as important, don't you?" said Daxtin sarcastically.

"So sue me," groaned Laev. "I forget one little thing, and…"

"Little? He's gotta be at least fifteen feet tall!" yelled the other boy in response.

"Okay, so I forgot to mention that the Fire Caverns are the ancestral home of the Demon God of Fire, Ifrit," the SeeD in training shouted back. "Will you lay off!"

Rann silenced the two of them with a swift, sharp glare before turning back to the problem at hand. Ifrit, who had climbed out of the lava with a number of Heartless just moments before, was a thickly muscled, dark-skinned demon with long black horns curving back over his body and flaming orange fur that stuck out in tufts from his arms and legs, and around his head like a fiery mane. His jagged, muzzle-like mouth pulled back its lips, revealing long rows of sharp, white teeth. The demon's black eyes glared at them with an unholy fire that matched the dark smoke coming from the Heartless emblem on his chest.

"He's the source of them," stated the brunette simply.

"Then let's finish him off and be done with it!" yelled Daxtin, charging forwards. He dodged to the side as the demon attacked with a wide, sweeping arc of his claws, slashing at the monster's face then jumping back from the snapping teeth. Dodging back from a torrent of fire, Daxtin blocked one of the lashing claws as Rann charged in with Laev, the brunette deftly parrying the strikes of the humongous demon as Laev ducked under the swinging limbs and flying fireballs. The tall warrior struck a deep slash across the demon's chest, the cavern's resounding with the loud discharge of his gunblade. Ifrit roared in agony and rage, slinging the fighter away from him. As Rann skidded to a halt down the path, Laev slid in behind the god of fire, smashing the backs of his legs with a lightning fast series of punches. As Ifrit was momentarily distracted by this, Daxtin charged back in, jumping up and attacking his head. He struck one straight blow, then was flung up into the air by a blocking arm. As he came back down to continue the assault, his eyes widened as the demon's eyes turned towards him, mouth agape and filled with flame.

"Daxtin, watch out!"

Laev jumped in the way of the fireball, taking the blow head on in Daxtin's place with a yell of sizzling pain and agony. The blast sent the young mercenary flying across the cavern, smashing into one of the stone walls and crumpling in a heap at the bottom of it. Daxtin, landing hard on his feet, looked in shock first at the still, crumpled form of his new friend, then back to Ifrit, and then back to Laev's broken body again. When he looked back to the demon, his eye blazed with the same blue-green fire that wreathed the glowing orbs inset in the aura blades he held.

"Endless Abyss!" he cried, raising Divider high, and then slashing it down into the rocky ground with a resounding blow. The air reverberated in the Fire Caverns as the ground split apart, the crack running from the tip of his blade down the path to the great, fiery demon. The dirt and rock crumbled beneath Ifrit's feet, the fissure in the earth opening like a great maw to swallow him up. With a burning roar of defiance and rage, Ifrit fell down into the yawning abyss. "Eternal Prison!"

Bringing down his other blade, Daxtin struck the opening, and the earth closed up again, forever sealing the fiery demon in its darkest depths.

For a moment, he just stood there, panting in exertion from what he had just done. Then it occurred to him that he couldn't rest quite yet.

"Laev!" he shouted, running over to his fallen companion's side. Rann was already there, knelt beside him. The man, upon seeing him approach, stood up and walked a little ways away, his shoulders trembling slightly. Was he crying?

Scared for the worst, Daxtin leapt the last few feet and skidded to a halt on his knees next to him. Laev remained still and unmoving, eyes closed in a macabre semblance of sleep.

"Laev! No, you can't be…" Daxtin gasped, shaking the still body. The cadet's head swung limply from his neck. "This isn't happening… Laev! You gotta wake up. You can't be dead! I _just_ met you. You can't be… Laev…"

As he hung his head in sorrow, he jumped back in sudden fright as the lifeless corpse he was holding grinned up at him, a mischievous twinkle in the boy's eyes.

"Gotcha," said the SeeD-in-Training with a grin.

"You… I'll kill you!" yelled Daxtin, jumping to his feet and dropping the other boy on the rocky ground. He turned to Rann then, realizing that the man wasn't racked with sorrow, but trembling with contained laughter. "You were in on it too!"

Rann only smiled smugly over his shoulder at him as he chuckled.

"Oh, man, we got you good!" laughed Laev, punching Daxtin playfully in the arm. "You should have seen your face!"

At first, Daxtin tried to remain upset, but in the end, he couldn't help but laugh with them. After they finished chuckling about it, he wiped a tear from his eye and looked over at Rann.

"Hey, that's the first time I've seen you laugh, or even smile," he pointed out with a grin. Rann paused, considering the observation momentarily before speaking.

"I guess you're right," he admitted slowly. "I just… haven't had anything to smile about in so long, I guess… I forgot how to."

"Then maybe this castle is helping you remember things after all!" suggested Daxtin helpfully.

"Castle?" asked Laev curiously.

"Huh?" replied Daxtin, a curious look coming over his face. "Er, not sure why I said that…"

"…whatever," murmured Rann, starting out ahead of them. "Let's head back for the Garden."

As they walked down the path out of the cave, Daxtin puzzled over why he had said castle. There wasn't any castle around Balamb. Then why had he said that…

"Well, this is it," said Laev, as they approached the entrance. "Hope you find what you're looking for."

"What makes you say that?" asked Daxtin, surfacing form his musings.

"I don't know," the blonde fighter admitted. "But you seem like a guy searching for something. And I'm wishing you good luck in that."

"Right," nodded Daxtin. "Thanks."

Then he and Rann turned and walked out the entrance to the Fire Caverns and back into Castle Oblivion.

* * *

"Okay, that was weird," said Daxtin, as he rubbed his eyes to clear the bright-light special that seemed to accompany all the doors in this castle. "I completely forgot that we were in Castle Oblivion while we were there."

"But I remembered some of my magic, and laughter," pointed out Rann. "Something weird is happening with our memory."

"We told you," said a familiar voice from down the hall, "here, to lose is to find, and to find is to lose." Sam, all adorned in red and white, with a vicious, confident grin on her face, appeared before them at the foot of the stairs leading up to the third floor. Before either Rann or Daxtin could say anything about her sudden appearance though, another black cloaked figure appeared beside her.

"Blah, blah, blah," interrupted the intruder, waving a floppy black sleeve around to iterate her sound effects. "Trying to sound smart, but all you're doing is repeating Luciella."

"Shut it, Karie!" yelled Sam angrily. "You want to handle this? Fine, you handle it!" Turning in a huff, she disappeared in a flash of shadow and darkness.

"Ooh, temper, temper," murmured the cloaked girl teasingly. She turned then to the two confused boys confronting her. "Oh, heyas there."

"Who…are you?" asked Daxtin in a stunned voice, staring incredulously at the newest character in Castle Oblivion's continuing freak-show.

At his question, the cloaked figure smiled and twiddled a finger on her chin and giggled shyly. Then, smiling, she threw off her cloak, the black material disappearing in a flurry of shadows in the air behind her. The revealed young girl had long, honey-blonde hair that trailed down past her waist in smooth, silky waves. She had a childish face and bright, charming blue eyes that went well with her small, cutely curved lips that seemed to be in a constant smile. She wore a tight, white long-sleeve shirt with a black "O" on the front, and bell-bottom blue jeans over pink and white sneakers. Notably, a pair of white, stylized wings hovered behind her, one over each shoulder.

"Hiyas, my name's Karie!" she greeted them cheerfully, waving a hand at them. "Now it's my turn to play with you!"

With no other introduction, the girl spun happily on her toes, slinging fireballs at them as she turned about. Jumping out of the way, Daxtin and Rann dodged to each side of the hall, narrowly avoiding the volley of explosions. Giggling lightly, Karie threw an arm out at them, bolts of lightning firing out from her hand. Crystal white stone shattered on impact, shards flying about the hall in the resulting explosion.

"Come on, aren't you gonna fight back?" she shouted teasingly over the sound of crackling lightning and exploding fires. Throwing back an arm over her head, Karie summoned an array of long, icy shards.

"That can't be good," noted Daxtin, watching momentarily before jumping behind one of the square pedestals to avoid the frozen barrage. As he did, Rann took the opportunity to charge forwards at the spell-wielding little girl.

"Oh, you wouldn't hurt little old me, would you?" asked Karie innocently, putting on her best cutesy-poo face. The hardened warrior, however, was not effected, and she barely managed to jump out of the way before he nearly cleaved her in two. "Meanie!"

As Rann turned to follow her, he was met with a face-full of lightning, throwing him back against the stairs leading upwards. Laughing triumphantly, Karie, turned her attentions on Daxtin just as he came charging up at her.

The boy lashed out with both aura blades, lunging forwards and slashing quickly at her. Karie dodged to one side, jumping away and then launching a series of fireballs at him. Daxtin blocked, wincing with the explosions as the fires hit his blades. Regaining his balance, he shot forwards at her, attacking with a vicious cross-slash. She jumped back out of his reach, and right into Rann's hands.

"Got you," he said simply, grabbing her by the back of her collar. She looked up him with a smile, and then disappeared in a flurry of darkness.

"That was fun!" yelled Karie, reappearing at the other end of the hall, by the doors that had come through. "We should play again some time!"

"What do you want from us? Why are you here?" asked Daxtin, frustrated by the girl's lackadaisical attitude. His anger and shouting only caused her to giggle more.

"Why are _you_ here? You can leave this castle any time, you know!" she shouted back.

"I'm here to rescue Kairi!" he yelled.

"You sure?" she asked innocently. She twirled about then disappeared in a swirl of shadows. "You think on that."

"I know I'm here to find Kairi," he repeated to the empty hall. "Right?"

* * *

She sat by herself in her empty room, alone. Sighing, she brushed a hand through her short, platinum blonde hair. She gazed down sadly at the picture in her lap. It was the smiling face of a teenage boy with piercing blue eyes and blonde hair that spiked out in a wave on top of his head. He had a shard of crystal that hung from one ear in an earring, though he no longer wore the black chain necklace around his throat, with its cross and circle pendant.

"Daxtin…" she murmured quietly, alone in the light.


	4. Phantoms

Hisashiburi: Looks like I'm back. Got worked up by the Final Mix secret video, Birth by Sleep, and started working through revamped character designs for The Forgotten Castle and Sin of Remembrance, but got distracted by Pokemon Diamond along the way. But I finally made it, have most of the character designs done and am writing chapters actively. With any luck, I'll actually go through and finish the whole thing before I get distracted again.

* * *

Chapter 3: Phantoms

* * *

_Awaken, Diant._

"Ow, my head…"

Diant sat up, clutching his skull in a way that suggested it might fall apart at any second, which, considering how it felt, seemed very likely to the boy. Opening his eyes, he was confronted with a veritable sea of white.

"The Castle of Naught…?" he asked fuzzily, for a moment fearing he was back in the Organization again and his brief reunion with Kairi and Kir had been nothing but a dream. But no, it seemed this was somewhere else; the decorations were different, more of a sculpted beauty than the alien design that permeated World that Never Was. And, checking himself, he was free of the accursed black cloak that symbolized Organization XIII. Instead, he was dressed in his casual clothes of a short-bodied, long-sleeved jacket, dark blue, over a white T-shirt and black pants with an assortment of buckles and zippers under crisscrossing dual belts. On his back, shoulders, and the pendant of his chain necklace was the circle cut by spiked X that was his mark, antithesis to his Nobody's symbol. Blinking sharp blue eyes, he took in his surroundings as he got to his feet, running a hand through his spiked dirty-blonde hair which was tied back at the base of his skull, but still spiked out around his head wildly despite this. "No, somewhere else… where is this?"

Looking about in curious wonder at the sculpted roses and fanciful pedestals, he wandered down the half-lit hallway towards the far end which remained shrouded in darkness at this distance.

"Hello? Anyone home?" he called out, not quite sure if he would get an answer, and even less sure that he would like it. Fortunately for him, nothing especially mean or nasty answered; instead the response was the quiet, trembling voice of a timid young girl.

"D…Daxtin?"

Looking around a behind a pillar, he found a huddled, frightened-looking teenage girl sitting in the shadows. She was dressed in a battered black suit and tie with white collared shirt, which, combined with moderately short hair and young, innocent features, almost made her boyish looking. However, he recognized her, and when she looked up from the darkness into his eyes, he saw that she recognized him also.

"Diant…"

"You're that Heartless girl… Anya? What are you doing here?" he asked before offering her a hand up. Wiping her face on her sleeves – she had been crying, apparently – she accepted the offer and stood with his help.

"I… I don't know," she said quietly. She sighed and looked at him hopelessly. "After… the incident… I went somewhere… somewhere dark, I don't know… I don't know how long I was there… but then I heard Daxtin's voice… and I saw him walking through a door… I tried to follow him… and ended up here, down here in the dark."

"Huh," said Diant noncommittally, not sure what to make of her testimony. "Well, it's been about a week since the thing with Xenthora… I was just recently on Destiny Islands with Kairi and Kir… when out of nowhere, these dark shadows came up and grabbed me… and next thing I know, I wake up here." He paused then and looked about. "Where _is_ here anyway?"

"Castle Oblivion," came a sudden, sharp female voice.

"Who's there?" demanded Diant as the two of them stumbled out from behind the white purer-than-marble pillars to look around the hallway. Joiner and Divider flashed into life in his hands. "Show yourself!"

"Insolent," was the short response as a hooded figure appeared out of a dark portal. There was no mistaking it; the dress, the powers, the aura… this was a member of Organization XIII.

"No, no, no!" cursed Diant, taking a step back, Anya hiding behind him timidly. "You're all supposed to be dead!"

The hooded figure gave no response to the remark but instead continued on as if he had never interrupted.  
"In this castle… you will discover your true nature," she said tersely, with no hint of interest or emotion in her voice. "False memories you wove to make yourself feel better and conceal the truth will melt away to reveal the true memories." She disappeared and reappeared further down the hall at the foot of a set of white doors barring the way. The two ran down the floor to catch up with her and keep her within sight and striking distance. "Continue if you dare. Or rot here in dark and shadow."

And with that, she disappeared.

"What did she mean?" asked Anya, her voice full of uncertainty.

"I don't know," replied Diant, shaking his head. "None of this makes sense, but it seems we're stuck together and there's only way to go." Not pausing to let his mind cloud with doubt, he pushed ahead and opened the door, stepping inside without hesitation or any care as to whether the girl, that dark, Heartless girl, would follow him.

* * *

White gave way to more white, and to Diant's despair, this time it _was_ the Castle of Naught. Somehow, impossibly, the white halls of Castle Oblivion had led to the World That Never Was. Staring about warily, he jumped as the door slammed behind him. 

"Sorry," apologized Anya shyly as he turned on her. As he relaxed, she looked about their surroundings also. "Isn't this…?"

"Yeah," sighed Diant in frustration. "The Castle of Naught, headquarters of Organization XIII. The question is: why are we here?"

_You aren't._

Immediately wary, Diant crouched, Joiner and Divider at the ready as he looked for the voice's source. His sudden movements surprised Anya and she looked about uncertainly.

"Did you hear that?" Diant asked her, eyes searching the room intensely. The dark girl shook her head. Ignoring this, he yelled out to the unseen speaker. "Whoever you are, come out!" There was no response. Huffing in frustration, Diant dismissed the aura blades and relaxed a little. Taking a more questioning tone, he asked, "What do you mean, we aren't?"

_You aren't in the Castle of Naught. You are within one of the White Rooms of Castle Oblivion. Within these rooms are mirror reflections of your life, crafted from your memories. The truths of your victories and failures shall be laid bare, and your sins spread before you._

"A reflection of memory?" he murmured aloud. "What is this all about?"

_Walk further along this path if you want to find out. Or remain in darkness, ignorant and forgotten. Do you dare to tread this path, to feel its judgment?_

"You don't scare me," said Diant. "I'll find out what this place is and who you are, judgment or no."

_So be it._

And then the presence was gone.

"What was that about?" asked Anya quietly, stepping up beside the determined youth.

"There was this voice," he explained, not bothering to look at her as he thought about it. "It said this is a reflection of my memories and we just have to continue through these White Rooms and reflections if we want out of here and to know what this is about." He paused then, thinking. "It seemed almost familiar, but I don't know where…"

"Well, well, well, what have we here?"

Suddenly broken from their contemplation, the two turned to face this new intrusion. Down the hall came striding three figures in black, one with swagger, one with calm, and the last with hesitance. All three wore the black cloaks of the Organization, but with their hoods off and their demeanors certain, the three were unmistakable.

"Hello, ladies," Diant greeted them icily, his eyes wary as they approached. As the three came to a halt a few feet away, he nodded curtly to each in turn. "Exeamine. Maieri. Fuuen."

The leading blonde, her hair pulled up in a high ponytail with bangs framing her pretty, pale face and sharp blue eyes, smiled viciously at the boy. The tall one, her light blue hair done up in a bandanna and various ponytails and locks gazed coolly at him with ice blue eyes. The shortest of the trio stood close to her and slightly behind, watching with one big, shy brown eye, the rest of her face hidden by the veil of her neck-length black hair.

"What are you doing here?" asked Exeamine insidiously, watching the two teenagers with a look that teetered between amusement and disdain.

"I could ask you the same," shot back Diant cautiously.

"We're here because of you," the blonde answered curtly.

"This is, after all, a reflection you created," murmured Maieri solemnly.

"We're i-in your memories," added Fuuen tentatively.

"Oh, really?" he said, slightly skeptically. "So this isn't actually you?"

"Tch, how _could _it be us?" snorted Exeamine derisively. "We're _dead._ Traitor."

"Hey, those two facts are in no way related!" Diant shouted. "You died at Emeline's hands, on Kami. Those clones of the Angel got the three of you; that has nothing to do with me. If you want to blame someone, blame her!" he said angrily, suddenly turning an accusing finger on Anya beside him. "She's Emeline's Heartless!"

He stopped in his tirade at the sight of the dark girl's hurt expression at this sudden accusation. His ire faltering, he shook his head.

"L…look, I… I didn't mean that," he said, fumbling apologetic. "I mean…"

"You're the one who's heartless," the blonde reaper pointed out with a smirk. "Seems you've betrayed yet another's trust, hmm?"

"Hey, I barely even know her; she doesn't mean anything to me!" he blurted out in defense. From a glance at the faces of the girls around him, he knew he was just making it worse. "I mean… I just…"

"Really, O Shining Warrior, this is why you'll forever be alone," sighed Exeamine with a grin before snapping her fingers. A roiling darkness shot up around her in a dark portal, and then she was gone.

"You've always only thought of yourself," noted Maieri shortly before teleporting out, taking her young companion with her. As they left, Fuuen only watched Diant with a sad expression on her face. And then it was just the two of them.

Diant turned to Anya, facing her but looking away, his rueful expression unable to meet her sad, pained eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry," he said halfheartedly. "I didn't really mean it that way, I just…"

"No, it's fine," the dark haired girl said quietly. "It's true. You've no reason to like me. I am Emeline's other half; we're the same. And we caused all that trouble, that suffering…"

"No, you're not the same," he interjected. He continued, unconvincingly. "You, you're different. And that was No Heart anyway that did all that stuff. It wasn't your fault."

"Do you really believe that?" she asked him, not hoping, but questioningly. To this, he couldn't answer and could only look away again.

* * *

They walked in uncomfortable silence, together yet worlds apart. The only sound was the hollow footfalls that filled the empty white hallways until the monotony was broken by a series of gliding musical riffs, the alien pitch and tone of the sitar recognizable even before the black-cloaked player came into view. 

"Hello, Diant," greeted the River Walker. His relaxed, aqua eyes remained on his hands as his fingers ran up and down the strings of his blue and white instrument. His medium length sea-green hair curved gracefully down one side of his head, obscuring some of his face in a curving mask.

"Hey," Diant returned, suspicion tingeing his voice. "I suppose you're not really here either, are you?"

"Of course not," agreed Xencarsse amiably. "I'm dead. Traitor."

"Again, not my fault," he said defensively. "Daxtin's the one who defeated you."

"But you realize, you are Daxtin and Daxtin is you," pointed out the musician.

"That's not true," he asserted, anger tinting his claim. Xencarsse shrugged.

"Even supposing it was, Daxtin didn't kill me," he continued. "I killed myself."

"What?"

"As the final member of Organization XIII, I knew we had no chance of obtaining Kingdom Hearts," he explained easily. "But far worse than that was the prospect of that witch taking it, _her_ other," he said with a hard edge to his voice, pausing in his playing to point a finger at Anya.

"Hey, you leave her alone," warned Diant, stepping between the two of them. "They aren't the same."

"Oh?" asked Xencarsse in mild surprise. "But wasn't it you who pointed the blame at her as Emeline's Heartless, the dark side of Xenthora?"

"Look, I was wrong," he admitted. "I didn't mean it."

"Really now? No matter. As I was saying, I was the last of our order, short you who betrayed us," continued Xencarsse accusingly. "But I knew our common enemy, Xenthora, had to be stopped from attaining Kingdom Hearts. So I gave all my power to your other, Daxtin. In the ultimate gamble, I wagered my life." He chuckled then, a little sadly. "Not that we Nobodies have lives. I suppose I cheated then, wagering something I didn't have. And it seems I won."

"How would you know? You're dead, remember?" the boy pointed out.

"I'm not really here. I'm just a projection of your memories," he reminded him.

"Yeah, well I don't remember you judging me so harshly."

"Then maybe I'm not the one judging you."

Before he could catch himself, Diant glanced over at Anya. Xencarsse merely chuckled at this, causing Diant's face to flush with chagrin.

"No, not her," he said. "Someone far closer to your heart, boy."

Giving one final strum of his sitar, the River Walker made his exit, the darkness birthing the doorway behind him, then closing as he stepped back into it.

"Someone closer, huh?" muttered Diant to himself as Anya looked on anxiously. And in his heart, he felt a twinge. A lingering touch of darkness.

* * *

The night sky was filled with the glow of the heart-shaped moon, and below, atop the highest tower, stood a black-robed figure, dark of skin with long silvery hair, basking in its radiance. 

"I've been expecting you," intoned the man in his deep, mysterious voice. He did not bother to turn towards the two teenagers as they came up the stairs, his golden eyes instead fixed on the moon high above.

"Xatheron. Why am I not surprised," said Diant rhetorically as he and Anya came to a halt a few yards away. "And what are you going to blame me for?"

"Traitor," he murmured, turning to face them. His piercing gaze held them in place, mesmerizing in its intensity. "You betrayed us all. In our finest hour, you turned on us and thus did my victory crumble beneath my feet into the deepest pit of despair. Kingdom Hearts. _My_ Kingdom Hearts, ruined. Because of you."

"Hey, it's not my fault," argued the boy. "Even without me, Roxtarit and Kensuke were both turncoats. Then with Daxtin and the others... your defeat was inevitable anyway."

"No one snowflake feels at fault for the avalanche," quoted the Nobody. "You may or may not have been key, but you are still to blame for my death."

"I'm getting real tired of this," he yelled, Joiner and Divider flashing to life in his hands. "Let's just end this!"

"Agreed," said Xatheron, red beams of light extending from his palms in deadly blades. "Now, let come to rest your judgment. I shall be the arbiter to administer this final punishment for your sins."

Diant charged with a roar of fury, blades at the ready. With a resounding crash, the two combatants came together, beam swords sparking wildly against the black and white lengths of the aura blades. Giving a push, Diant jumped, recklessly flying over their clashing blades and past the leader of the Organization, the man dodging his following blades as the boy came to land behind him. Quickly rebounding, Diant sped forwards again towards the figure in black, this time in a low spin, his blades flailing wildly in chaotic arcs against the other's crimson projections. In a swift slash, he caught the Nobody in the shoulder with one blade before being struck in the side and flung away. Executing a flip in mid air, Diant landed hard on his hands and knees, sliding across the ground until he came to rest a little ways from Anya.

The dark girl, seeing the lull as an entry, readied her own weapon, the Shadow Lance. A small, compact ball of shadows formed above her palm before extending into a long spear of darkness, a featureless, lightless bar with sharpened ends.

"Stay out of it," growled Diant, getting to his feet. "This is my fight."

Charging back in, he leapt up, bringing his blades to bear in a risky overhead slash. Joiner and Divider came crashing down upon Xatheron's blades as the man blocked with beams crossed before lashing out, sending the boy flying back. Diant wasn't deterred and merely ran back in, diving over the Nobody's whirling blades and turning quickly, striking before looking and reacting on instinct.

It was stunning; Anya had expected him to be somewhat like his Other, but where Daxtin was form and style and grace, Diant was action, motion, and reckless abandon. She watched as he and Xatheron locked blades, then Diant swung their weapons to the left and brought a swift kick around into his opponent's side. Their blades so entwined, the man's stumbling pulled Diant off balance too, but without even attempting to regain control, the boy pulled his blades out and charged into him, slamming him with the hexagonal hand guards as they both fell to the ground. The two rolled across the alabaster floor until Xatheron kicked him away, stumbling back and to his feet, battered and in disorder, his face a simulacrum of anger. Diant, not in much better shape and bleeding from the nose, only grinned.

"Is that all you got?" he shouted before lunging. Xatheron knocked away the tips of his blades but this only opened him to Diant's headlong charge, the boy tackling him and sending him sprawling. Giving a twist, Diant swung his blades around and brought them arcing in on the fallen man as he leapt over at the fallen figure. "It's over!"

And then there was a spray of red, and Diant found himself falling, the world tilting as he went. Xatheron pulled back his extended hand and the attendant beam, the energy sword sliding out of the boy's side where it had pierced. The combatants changed places and suddenly it was Diant on the ground and Xatheron standing victorious above him.

"It is done," the Nobody intoned, drawing back his arm for the finishing strike.

"No."

A sudden darkness filled the air, a sudden wave that sliced right through Xatheron at chest height, creating a momentary wall of black before disappearing just as quickly. The man fell, fading into darkness; he was gone by the time he hit the floor. And behind him stood Anya, entirely wrapped in shadows with nothing but the pinprick white glow of her eyes as ribbons of darkness coiled off her and the Shadow Lance in her hand. Then, slowly, the darkness receded and revealed the pale young girl he had first met, sliding back into the dark spear she held before that too disappeared. As her fluttering hair and tie came back down, she approached him. A concerned look on her face, she offered him a hand up.

"I told you not to interfere," he growled, getting up on his own and walking past her. Pausing a moment as he clutched his side, his breath heavy, listened to the silent acceptance behind him. Sighing, he looked back at her over his shoulder. "But thanks."

The shy, blushing smile he received was unmistakable proof that he'd said the right thing. He was about to smile back, when a blinding flash suddenly lit the area.

Turning, the two found a giant doorway floating a little ways from the tower, between them and the full heart moon. A glittering pathway spanned the air between.

"I guess that's how we get out of this reflection," said Diant, stepping up beside Anya.

"Yeah," she said with a small nod.

"Let's go."

The stepped onto the air, and from there, into the light.

* * *

As the glow faded, the pair found themselves once again the carven white beauty of Castle Oblivion. Down the hall was a set of stairs leading upwards. 

"How big do you think this place is?" asked Anya curiously, looking around at the spacious hall.

"Dunno," replied Diant, applying a potion to his wounds as they walked. He came to a halt as the hauntingly familiar voice answered their question.

_Thirteen floors above and twelve floors below. You stand now on the lowest floor._

"Come out, Voice!" yelled Diant, surprising his timid companion. "I'm not going a step further until we see you."

_You can stay here until the end of days for all I care. But have it your way…_

There was a small flash as a pillar of light appeared before them, a little ways down the hall in front of the stairs. It grew in size as a figure appeared within it, then the white glow faded, revealing the occupant.

It was a tall man, covered in a hooded white cloak with golden trim. The cloak fell to the floor in a complete curtain, obscuring any view of the body of who wore it and the hood covering his head revealed only the bottom half of his face.

"You ask me to appear, and I do," said the man with a smug grin. "Are you satisfied now?"

"Knowing the mysterious voice has a mysterious body to go with it?" snorted Diant. "Not really."

"Well, you'll have to excuse me then," replied the cloaked figure in insincere apology. "For now, I don't think you're quite ready to know who you're dealing with."

"I'm not making any deals with you," said the boy cautiously. "I just want out of here. I'm going home."

"Home?" laughed the figure in white. "Did your judgment teach you nothing? Don't you realize why you can never return? Your true nature?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," asserted Diant. Even so, he felt that strange pain again, that twinge in his heart.

"Of course you don't," said the man, humoring him. "I'll be seeing you again on the 8th Basement Floor. Provided you make it that far, of course."

Before Diant could reply, the figure became engulfed in light again and then disappeared, once again leaving the two of them alone.

* * *

"Well that was amusing," murmured the man in the white cloak as he appeared in the dimly lit room. "But he's being stubborn." 

"Always," replied the woman in the black coat.

"Yes, that has always been his way, hasn't it," he muttered to himself, ignoring the member of Organization XIII. He was interrupted in his musings as a swirl of darkness manifested in the room, depositing a small figure in black cloak holding a smaller figure in similar dress. "Oh, one of you girls. Which one? Never mind, what are you here for?"

"Just a message from my mistress," the young girl said calmly. "A reminder: we're only letting you manipulate the boy so you might better serve. Our primary task in this castle is the Nobody with a Heart. This supersedes any interests you may have in that boy there, or any of their companions."

"I see, and you're telling me this why?" asked the white clothed man before answering his own question. "Oh, because you want to interfere with him, do you?"

"I have… an interest in meeting him," said the cloaked girl.

"Fine with me," he conceded, turning to his companion in black. "Do you have any problems?"

"None," replied the cloaked figure shortly.

"I wasn't asking permission," murmured the girl primly, "merely making sure you did not interfere."

With that, the young figure disappeared in a swirl of darkness, leaving the other two to their scheming.


	5. Forgotten

Doko: Where did everyone go? Ah, I seem to have been inactive too long. If you're reading this, please leave reviews and let me know what you think, good or bad.

* * *

Chapter 4: Forgotten

* * *

The sun was shining on the lively city of Radiant Garden. High above the township loomed the great castle from which the wise King Ansem ruled. And in that very castle, in the great hall overlooking the city on one side and the Rising Falls on the other, there was a flash of light as a doorway opened and two figures stepped out and into the hall. 

"So where are we this time?" asked Daxtin, rubbing his eyes and blinking rapidly to clear them from the blinding flash.

"It seems we're in Radiant Garden this time," replied Rann, striding down the hall and leaving the boy behind. It took a few moments for Daxtin to notice he'd been abandoned again as the older man walked off without him.

"I wonder how everyone's doing?" he said cheerfully as he caught up with Rann.

"Not that they'll remember us," the brunette pointed out.

"What do you mean?" asked Daxtin curiously. However, before he could get an answer, he was bowled over by a flying tackle.

"Diant!" shouted a young boy as he and Daxtin fell to the ground. It was a few moments of tumbling before Daxtin could get a good look at his assailant. It was a wiry young lad wearing a cat eared beanie, a tight, triangular-cut black shirt over baggy shorts and giant shoes, along with gloves shaped like cat paws and what appeared to be a tail. The kid was purring happily and rubbing his face against Daxtin and it took a moment before he could pull him away. When he did, the boy looked at him with disappointment, then shock and confusion. "Hey, you're not Diant."

"Nice job, Kentaro," sighed Daxtin, throwing the thief off and getting to his feet. "I'm Daxtin, remember? The one you don't like?"

"Hmm, I don't think I know any Daxtins," Kentaro disagreed. Then he gave a toothy smile at him and added, "But then, I'm not very good at remember people I don't like."

"This is sort of what I meant," said Rann flatly, Daxtin nodding as he remembered what was going on.

"Hey, who are you?" asked the boy curiously.

"Just call me Rann," said the warrior, not bothering with trying to trigger any memories. "Can you take us to see Okina or Cid? We have some business with them."

"We do?" asked Daxtin, receiving and elbow in the side for his troubles. "I mean, yeah, we _do_."

Luckily, Kentaro was far too oblivious to notice that kind of blunder and just smiled at them again.

"Sure, that's fine!" said the feline kleptomaniac before dashing off down the hall. "Follow me!"

* * *

"Hehh? Who're these guys?" groaned the spiky brown-haired technician, scratching his equally spiky goatee as he looked at the pair with half-lidded eyes. He sat in a swiveling chair before a panel of computer screens displaying all sorts of technical data and schematics, lazing about in sports jacket, shirt and pants, all stained with grease and spotted with electrical burns. 

"Hello, Cid," said Rann.

"Hey," added Daxtin.

"Why do they know my name?" asked Cid, turning a lazy eye to Kentaro. The boy merely shrugged and gave him a blissfully ignorant smile.

"We happen to be foreign soldiers from a distant world," lied Rann, stepping in before Daxtin could say anything. "We've heard of the formidable defenses here, I believe thanks to you and a woman named Okina?"

"And speak of the devil," grinned Cid lazily, causing the others to turn around. Striding in the door came a woman around Daxtin's height with long, red, almost pink hair that was tied up in a wild, spiky ponytail, or maybe topknot. She wore a small black vest over fishnet shirt, none of it really covering her arms or midriff. Below that was a pair of black hakama pants with flames towards the bottom, a pair of katana strapped at her waist. Her tatami sandals slapped on the metal floor as she walked in, watching Daxtin and Rann with hard, suspicious, but unworried eyes.

"Captain," she said shortly, giving Rann a small salute. The man furrowed his brow before letting it pass, giving a small salute of his own. "So, Cid, who are these two?"

"You'd know more than me, it seems," said Cid, pointing his hands and the question back at her. "Calling him Captain and all."

"What are you talking about?" asked Okina in annoyance.

"Just now, you came in and saluted, callin' him 'Captain'," drawled the engineer. "You serve in his division somewhere or somethin'?"

"No, I just, well…" she stuttered, becoming flustered.

"Never mind that," interrupted Rann. "You must have just mistaken me for someone you knew."

"Yeah," she agreed uneasily. Returning to her normal confidence, she regarded the two before her. "So, who are you two and what do you want here?"

"We're soldiers from another world," said Daxtin, taking Rann's story and running with it. "We were attacked by these things called the Heartless and these other things called the Nobodies. Um, so when we heard about Radiant Garden we thought we'd come check out your defenses. I mean, um… you've dealt with these kind of enemies right?"

"Yeah, the blackies and whities have been a problem for a while, on all different worlds!" said Kentaro helpfully, slinking close to Okina before the woman pushed him away with a none-too-gentle kick.

"Have there been any attacks recently?" asked Rann seriously, directing his glare towards Okina.

"Not recently there haven't," she said, returning the hard look.

At that moment, the lights in the underground control room flashed red, screens blinking as windows popped up all across the computer readouts.

"Spoke to soon," sighed Cid, spinning in his chair to face the computers. Rapidly typing and clicking, he continued, "Incoming forces in the East Quarter, around 8th District. An assortment of Heartless, enough to swarm the automated turrets and… oh, cripes, 'the hell is happening?"

"What, what's going on?" demanded Okina, shoving in next to him to see the screens.

"Oh, man," said Cid. Turning to the woman, he suggested, "You better round up your men. This is a big raid, and I don't even want to think about whatever it is they've got tearing through our systems. I'm gonna be busy rerouting power to the east districts and organizing the defense systems."

"Right," said Okina before turning to the others. "Kentaro, inform the others, tell Lieutenant Wedge and Sergeant Biggs to round up the men. You two," she said, turning on Rann and Daxtin, "come with me. I'll show you how we deal with Heartless."

* * *

"We're closing in on the disturbance, so be on your guard, you two," cautioned Okina as she cut down another clanking Heartless soldier. 

"For what, more than this?" yelled Daxtin over the fray as he sent Joiner and Divider flying through the air to cut down the colorful flying Heartless mages.

"These are just small fry," shot back the Captain of the Guards. "Whatever's got Cid so worried is something more."

"Something like that?" suggested Rann, swinging his gunblade through a Heartless shadow and around to point at a large explosion of swirling pink and shattered defense turrets. Nearby, a giant pillar of ice shot up, then was broken and scattered by a swift cutting wind.

"That's gotta be it!" shouted Daxtin, charging in with Okina and Rann right after him. The three of them cut through the swarming masses of Heartless towards the source of the destruction. As they came closer to the site of the mayhem, Daxtin swore he could hear a high, lilting laugh that was eerily familiar and sent chills down his spine.

In clearing of debris and broken machinery were three figures in hooded black cloaks with silver fastenings and chains, the uniform of Organization XIII.

"We've got company," said the tallest one as Rann, Okina and Daxtin came into view.

"Tch, what now?" growled the one with the scythe.

"T-trouble?" asked the shortest one.

"You!" shouted Daxtin accusingly, pointing an aura blade at them. "You're from Organization XIII, aren't you?"

"How observant," said the tall one drolly.

"What's Organization XIII?" Okina asked Daxtin.

"They're an evil group who are trying to take Kingdom Hearts," he replied. "In order to do that, they're sending the Heartless to take the hearts of worlds!"

"Very good," said the one with the scythe in mocking praise. "Who are you, kid?"

"Daxtin," he said shortly.

"Never heard of you," she said, throwing back her hood. She had long blonde locks that framed her pale, pretty face and vicious blue eyes, but most of it was tied back in a high ponytail. "My name's Exeamine. The Organization's number X. So how 'bout it, boy? You and me, one on one." She turned to her companions. "Maieri, Fuuen, you take those two. I want to kill this Daxtin myself."

"Fine with me," yelled Daxtin, readying Joiner and Divider.

"You sure, kid?' asked Rann, sidling beside him as he eyed his opponents.

"I'll be fine, as long as you and Okina keep those other two off my back," said Daxtin. Rann nodded then motioned to Okina, then the pair of them charged the two figures still hooded, who teleported out in portals of darkness. The two reappeared up on top of the broken ramparts and the two swordsmen soon followed, leaving only Daxtin and Exeamine in the wreckage.

"Now, brat, let's have some fun," said Exeamine with a sadistic grin, running her tongue across the edge of her pink scythe.

"As long as you enjoy getting beaten," he replied before charging in.

* * *

"So, Fuuen and Maieri, was it?" shouted Okina across the intervening distance. Rann stood by her side, the cloaked pair several yards down the wall. 

"You have us at a disadvantage," said the tall one, pulling back her hood. She revealed a serious face with hard, ice blue eyes under light blue hair done up in a bandana and all manner of ponytails and locks of hair. She regarded them frostily.

"Not really," she disagreed. "We don't know which is which, do we?"

"I-I'm Fuuen," said the shorter one, pulling back her hood. She had neck-length lustrous black hair that fell around her in a veil, curving to conform to her head and held back by a pair of white hair clips just enough to reveal one large, innocent brown eye and a little of her pursed lips. "Um, and… this is Maieri," she added, the overly large sleeves of her cloak flapping as she indicated her companion. "And you are?"

"Okina," replied the katana-wielder.

"Rann," growled the gunbladier. "Now let's just settle this already."

* * *

"Come on, is that all you got?" taunted Exeamine, jumping back from Daxtin's slash and leaving a long, red cut across his cheek. Licking the droplets of blood from the tip of her scythe, she smiled viciously. "What happened to me getting beaten, huh?" 

"If you'd just hold still," he muttered, wiping his cheek on his arm as they circled each other. Tripping over a piece of broken stonework, Daxtin stumbled slightly, and that was all the Organization's Lovely Reaper needed.

Leaping forwards, her scythe spinning in a deadly whirl, she brought her blade to bear as the boy defended with Joiner and Divider. Daxtin countered, knocking her weapon back and spinning, landing a kick to her stomach before bringing his blades around at her again. Pushing his advantage, he struck blow upon blow on her upraised scythe, not giving her a chance to regroup, the blue-green orbs inset in the aura blades glowing brighter with every strike. Knocking her away with one powerful strike, he jumped back to gain a little distance, reversing his grip on Divider before joining it at the hilt with its twin, the two blades fusing into one with the handle in the center. Suspending it from his palm by sheer force of will, the twin blades began to spin, faster and faster, until they became a black and white blur, a disc outlined by the blue-green glow of the orbs set inside.

"Whirlwind Raid!" he shouted, swinging his arm and loosing the spinning disc at his opponent. The whirling blades crashed into Exeamine's recovering form, knocking her scythe from her hands as the blades continued on, sparks flying as the disc tilted, cutting across the ground before coming back. Before the enemy Nobody could react, the joined aura blades slammed into her again, shooting her into the air beside them as they split back into Joiner and Divider. Then Daxtin was there, arms crossed as he grabbed each blade. "Storm's Divide!"

With this, he drew back each arm in a crushing cross slash, and then he was behind her, landed on the ground with both arms dramatically swept out wide. The body in midair behind him hovered for a moment, and then exploded in a swirling burst of pink.

"What?" he asked, as the _sakura_ petals settled down around him.

"Pretty good, kid," said a familiar voice from behind. Turning around, he was greeted by Exeamine's amused countenance. "If that had really been me that might have actually hurt. But you'll have to do better than that."

* * *

There was an explosion of ice and shadow and Rann was thrown back, coming to a skidding halt, his gunblade and steel-toed boots sending up sparks against the pavement in a long line as he slid, still on his feet, but almost on hands and knees. 

"You alright?" asked Okina, coming up beside him.

"Don't worry about me, worry about the enemy," he commanded, getting to his feet, his stance defensive as he eyed the barrier of icy shards before him.

"You really do sound like him," she said, also looking around for the enemy.

"Him who?"

"Um… well, I don't know," she admitted uneasily. "I just feel like I know you."

"Do you?" he asked.

Before she could answer though, a cutting wind burst through the wall of ice, sending frozen shrapnel flying at them. Defending against the propelled hail, the two barely had time to react as Maieri appeared in its midst.

"Fire," incanted Rann, sending a pulsing ball of flame at the woman. She deflected with a shield of ice, and then dodged back as Okina came in with her dual katana. Maieri countered with the long jagged blade of ice projecting from her arm, chips of ice flying as she knocked away the questing steel. Rann came to join in, and soon the black cloaked Heartless was hard pressed to keep both of them at bay. Just as Rann was about to strike with a heavy, two-handed blow, finger on the trigger, a barrier of wind shot up around his target, flinging both him and Okina back away. Looking for its source, the two defenders spotted the young Fuuen standing a little ways down the wall, a white paper fan held in her hand artfully as she prepared her next spell.

"She's running support for her partner. Take her out first!" barked Rann. Okina nodded curtly before charging the girl's position, lightning leaping from her blades as she dragged them across the ground in a shower of sparks. However, before she could even cover half the ground, Maieri was there, icy blade deflecting the swordswoman's sudden strikes.

"Don't touch her," she warned frigidly. There was a flash of light, and then the rampart filled with ice.

* * *

"How we doing on that support, Tron?" yelled Cid, his fingers flying in a storm of clicking and clacking across the multiple keyboards of the security room. 

"I've repaired the routines, reprogrammed the fields and rerouted power from grids 16 through 25," answered the interface program in a friendly, if at this time, hurried, male voice. "I have the AIs and claymores en route. They'll be defenseless however, unless they have some cover as they 'port in."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it," grumbled the engineer. "I've got the turrets, well, the ones still operational, realigned and I've opened the ports for the reflect barriers from some of the mage corps." Spinning in his seat, he turned to another screen, punching in a last line of code before finishing it off. "Okay, program's coded, uploaded, and ready to go. You wired for this?"

"All systems go," reported Tron.

"Then let's do this thing!" grinned Cid, slamming a hand down on the enter key.

* * *

Daxtin struck hard and fast, but the body he cut only burst into another flurry of cherry blossoms in the midst of gleeful laughter. Turning, he quickly blocked the pink wave of energy that came ripping off Exeamine's blade. Dodging to the side as she charged in, blade whirling, he lashed out with Joiner and Divider, only to be flung back as she struck him in the stomach with the butt of her scythe. She was quickly upon him, sending him staggering back with a powerful cut of her weapon and a blast of slicing petals. Disappearing in a shower of blossoms, she reappeared behind him, giving him barely time to block as she cut, sending him sprawling on the flagstones. 

"And now boy, you die," she said, grinning widely as she approached, scythe at the ready. However, before she could attack, a sudden circle of light shot up, a shining ball beneath it with another circle filled with runes and coding. The claymore fired again, forcing Exeamine to jump back. Looking around, she could see all around similar programs popping up, disrupting the Heartless troops they had sent in. Turrets popped out of walls and quickly riddled the disrupted shadows with holes as magical barrier prevented retribution. Then came the lasers.

The air filled with glowing, snowflake-like designs, and then, with surgical precision, electric blue lasers shot from them, quickly eliminating Heartless in concise and accurate patterns. Exeamine retreated a little ways before counterattacking, the blade of her scythe slicing straight through the arcane barriers and decimating turret and claymore alike, the energy feedback overloading the laser arrays before they could touch her. But there were too many and the blonde was quickly surrounded and running out of space.

Two black portals opened behind her, revealing Fuuen and Maieri.

"We're leaving," said Maieri simply, laying a hand on Exeamine's shoulder.

"Like hell we are," she snarled.

"The Heartless are already receding and if we stay any longer, we'll be ended," said the blue haired woman firmly. "We're going now."

"Tch, fine," spat Exeamine. As her companions disappeared into their own portals, a dark door of shadows opened behind her. Stepping inside, she gave one final glare at Daxtin. "I'll be seeing you later." And then she was gone.

"No, you really won't," said Daxtin solemnly as the battlefield quieted. "I don't think we ever will meet again."

* * *

"So, you two have to go?" asked Kentaro with bit of a frown.

"Yeah, got other things to do," said Daxtin. "Castle to go through and all."

"A what?" blurted the cat boy with a confused look.

"A castle to go back to," corrected Rann, stepping in, "is what he meant. We have our own Heartless to deal with and all."

"Well then, you guys take care," said Cid, idly scratching his beard. "Best of luck to you."

"You too," said the man with a nod. He turned then to Okina. "So, Captain… I guess this is goodbye."

"Does it have to be?" she asked quietly, eyes averted. "I get this feeling… like I'm never going to see you again. Like once you leave, you'll be gone for good."

"Hey, don't sweat it," said the brunette. "We'll meet again."

"You think so?" she asked, unbelieving eyes focused on his scarred face.

"It's a promise," he replied with a tight smile, giving her a soft punch in the shoulder. "See you around."

"Take care, you guys," added Daxtin, before following Rann out the door, into the light, and out of Radiant Garden entirely.


	6. There Was a Girl

Testing: I'm trying out new short summaries. I wonder if the current one's any good? Or maybe the fact that this is a sequal is what's keeping people away?

* * *

Chapter 5: There Was a Girl

* * *

"Those girls seemed familiar," muttered Daxtin, his arms folded and his brow furrowed in thought. "The ones we fought. Have we met them somewhere before?" 

"Maybe they're someone we forgot," Rann suggested.

"Well, if we forgot that, then what did we remember?" asked the boy, tugging absently at his earring. "Did you remember anything important?"

The serious man stood silent for a moment before shaking his head.

"Hmm…oh!" exclaimed Daxtin, causing his partner to crook an eyebrow at him. Turning to him, he explained, "I don't think it's really important, but I just remembered this girl I met while I was on Destiny Islands."

"You mean the princess?" said Rann as they climbed the stairs to the fourth floor.

"No, not Kai, um, Kairi," he mumbled. "This other girl. Um, kind of quiet, a little shy. Not sure why I recalled her just now."

"Well, what else do you remember about her?"

"Not much, really," he conceded. "Blonde hair, pale skin… I can't really remember her face." Groaning in frustration, he tapped his armguards together impatiently as he tried to remember more. "Augh, I can't even remember her name!"

"Don't worry about it," suggested his companion. "I'm sure it'll come to you as we go through here."

"If I don't forget her first," muttered Daxtin as they entered the door to the next White Room.

* * *

"Another seaside?" 

Sure enough, the pair had entered a bustling port town lined with docks, colorful ships in an assortment of designs constantly loading, unloading, docking and departing. Hi-tech electronic screens and loudspeakers were abounding, announcing schedules, appointments, news, forecasts, and coverage. All around, a variety of people, some human, some not, were working, talking, playing or just hanging out.

"You recognize this place?" asked Daxtin, turning to Rann. The man just shook his head. "Maybe I just can't recall any of the oceans?"

"Welcome to Luca!" shouted a loud, overly jovial voice. Turning, the two found themselves being accosted by a large, unnecessarily enthusiastic tour guide. "You fella's here to see the Blitz?"

"The what now?" sputtered Daxtin in confusion.

"Blitzball!" said the guide with a huge grin. "Best game in Spira, heck, the _only_ game. Hmm, big match today though," he said with a frown. "The Besaid Aurochs are in town, so they might be all sold out already." Putting on a sly grin, he sidled closer to them, whispering in a conspiratorial tone, "Of course, I know where y'might be getting a few tickets at this late hour…"

"Go scalp someone else," growled Rann, giving the man a shove and walking past. Daxtin gave the put-off salesman an apologetic glance before hurrying to catch up with him.

"Hey, I kinda wanted to see this Blitzball or whatever," he complained.

"Probably a waste of time," said the brunette. "Besides, who knows what kind of jacked-up prices that guy was going to ask. We've got more important things to look for."

"You know, he said it's a big game. Maybe something important will happen there," argued Daxtin reasonably. "We should check it out."

"…whatever," muttered the man, picking up the pace and pulling ahead.

"Seriously, we should," pressed the blonde, jogging to catch up.

"Fine," he grumbled, giving up. "But only if they aren't sold out. I am _not_ buying tickets, probably fake ones at that, from some scalper."

"Right on!" said Daxtin, pumping his fist in the air. Pausing a moment, he turned a sheepish look on his companion. "Um, by the way, any idea what Blitzball is?"

"Not a clue."

"Ah. Same here."

* * *

"Sold out?" groaned Daxtin. 

"I guess that settles that," said Rann with a shrug, leading them away from the ticket both. "Let's get looking for the exit."

"Hey, hey, he's here!" cried a girl, running past and almost right over Daxtin.

"Ow, what? Who's here?" shouted Daxtin, stumbling to regain his balance. Looking about, he saw a whole crowd of people, men, women, children, but mostly teenage girls it seemed, flooding the area. They seemed mostly gathered around one of the docks near the entrance to the Blitzball stadium.

"What's this all about?" asked Rann, grabbing one of the less rabid looking fans running past. The people were all pushing to get closer to the boat moored there, though some rather official-looking guards in coats and low-brow caps were keeping them at bay.

"The Besaid Aurochs' ship just pulled in," she explained. "They're popular, but what everyone's really hoping for is to meet their star player, Lucas." She gave a dreamy sigh at the name. "He's _so_ cool. Now excuse, but I gotta go if I wanna get even a glimpse of him."

"Great, a bunch of fanatics crowding their idol," sighed Daxtin. He looked about with disdain at the cheering mob, some even waving signs and posters of the man billed as 'Lucas'. It seemed so ridiculously overdone. "You think those guys ever get tired of the mass-produced adoration?"

However, the excited shouts and cries of adulation suddenly turned sour and transformed into shrieks of dismay and confusion.

"Now what?" groaned Rann, palming his head in exasperation.

"Lucas is missing!" wailed one of the disappointed young girls. "The Aurochs said not to worry, but the sponsors are freaking out! Where could he be?"

"Ha ha, serves them right," laughed Daxtin cynically. "Maybe he jumped ship? Guess some stars don't love their fans."

"Or maybe they'd just rather relax a little before the game without all the screeching and yelling," suggested a guard as he walked by, his cap pulled low over his eyes. "You never know."

"Who?" asked Daxtin with a puzzled expression, but before he could find out, the man had already disappeared into the churning ocean of the chaotic crowd.

* * *

"Well, we've circled the stadium, checked every dock, even a few boats," listed Daxtin with a sigh, "but there's been no Heartless, no Nobodies, no Organization XIII… We always found the door just by following the trouble, but…"

"Not that we should be asking for trouble," said Rann. "We'll just have to keep looking."

"The only place we haven't looked yet is the stadium," groaned Daxtin. "If someone had bought us tickets before even the _scalpers_ ran out…"

"Oh, so this is my fault?" asked Rann, clearly not amused. But their argument was cut off by a sudden commotion down on the quay. Following the voices, the two hid behind some crates to check it out. Three ruffians, sailors by the look of their shirts and tattoos, had surrounded a man wearing a guard uniform, same as the guards who had been at the Besaid Aurochs' arrival.

"I asked you a question," growled one of the men, giving the guard a shove. "I said, what's an Al Bhed scumbag like you doin' dirtying up a guard uniform, eh?"

"I'm not Al Bhed," said the guard, hands up. "And I'm just doing my job."

"Yeah, and what job is that, sneakin' aroun' back 'ere?" asked the first crewman.

"Not Al Bhed," snorted one of his companions. "Like hell. Then what's with the goggles, and your cap pulled so low? If you're not Al Bhed, let's see some eyes, huh? You peoples always got to hide them, huh?"

"Racist punks," hissed Daxtin. Standing, he said, "Let's get 'em."

"Stand down," ordered Rann, pulling him back down. "This isn't our problem. Let's just get out of here and…"

"Oi, who's there?" yelled one of the toughs, brandishing a club.

"Prob'ly some Al Bhed buddies, eh?" the first sailor supposed. "Flush 'em out."

"Sure thing," said the third one, pulling a nasty looking ball and chain from a nearby crate. Giving it a few swings, he let it loose straight at Daxtin and Rann's position. The two dodged out of the way of the exploding crates as the iron ball smashed into them, showering them with a rain of wooden shards.

"They don't look like Al Bhed," said the thug with the mace.

"They might report us, though," said the lead man. "Bring 'em in anyway."

"_Now_ is it our problem?" asked Daxtin in exasperation.

"Fine, have a blast," said Rann with a shrug, drawing his gunblade.

Daxtin charged in as the lead man drew his own sword. Dodging as the chain-and-baller drew back his weapon from the wreckage, he ducked under the club-wielder's instrument then struck out at him with the aura blades. Taking advantage of the distraction he provided, the guard jumped the man with the sword, taking him from behind and landing a few punches until the guy got away, but not before the sword was sent sliding across the dock. Picking it up, the guard and lead thug circled each other as the enemy drew a second blade.

Rann, meanwhile, was dealing with the ruffian who'd armed himself with chain and ball. As the iron ball came flying at him, he stepped to one side, neatly avoiding it. Turning his hand glowing red, he released a powerful burst of flame, instantly superheating a section of chain as the weapon's main weight came to rest in a stack of crates behind him. Raising the gunblade, he hit in one quick slash, cold steel cutting through red hot chain in shower of sparks and broken links. Swinging nothing but a broken chain, his opponent started to back away.

Daxtin was busy dealing with the club wielder. The heavy metal bludgeon had too much force for him to block directly, so it was either dodge or have bones broken. Opting for the former, he was having a little trouble getting any hits in. However, his opponent was rapidly tiring from swinging the heavy mace around. Dodging an overhand swing, Daxtin stepped on the cudgel as it hit the ground, forcing it out of the man's hand. Disarmed, the suddenly vulnerable bully started to retreat.

"You're the last one left," said the guard, indicating his opponent's two defeated companions with a nod of his head. Striking a swift, explosive blow, he clove clean through his opponent's cutlass. "And you aren't in a very good position either. Now I suggest you just walk away and never bother anyone again."

"An' I suggest you piss off!" yelled the man, throwing his broken sword at him. The guard tried to dodge, but even so the broken length of steel hit his head, taking his cap right off and leaving a bloody gash in his forehead. He quickly recovered, but by the time he was up, all three of the men who'd accosted him had taken off.

"Does this kinda thing happen to you often?" asked Daxtin as he and Rann walked up to him.

"Eh, it's no big deal," he said, shrugging it off. He sighed then, shaking his head. "Five hundred years and people still have a bone to pick with the Al Bhed."

"Hey," said Daxtin, listening closely. "That voice… aren't you that guard that brushed past me in front of the stadium?"

"What, you were the one there when my team, I-I mean, the Aurochs docked? That was you?" said the man, tensing up, his wildly darting eyes covered by his streamlined blue goggles. "You know what? You never saw me here. Now, just go along whatever business it is you have and I'll go about mine, deal?"

"You're bleeding," pointed out Daxtin.

"Right. That's my business," said the man nervously. "Going to deal with it right now."

"No, here, just wait a second, I got a few potions," said Daxtin, rifling through his pockets. "Could you take off those goggles, they're kind of in the way.

"My goggles are fine right where they are," he assured the boy.

"Rann, help the man off with his goggles, the cut goes underneath the strap," said Daxtin, cautiously approaching the guard.

Rann, having been watching the man with intense observation, grabbed his shoulder with one hand and went for the goggles with the other. Twenty or so year old male, tan skin, medium-length, slicked-back sandy blond hair, rounded features with sparse stubble along his jaw line… If the eyes matched the pictures…

"Hey, hey, those are mine!" he protested as Rann pulled off the goggles. He closed his eyes, keeping the brunette from getting a good look.

"Hold still," said Daxtin seriously, pouring the potion on the wound. The bleeding quickly stopped, and soon the skin closed and within seconds it was as if it had never happened. "Better?"

"My goggles," he sputtered, waving his arms blindly before pausing. Blinking, he touched his forehead and looked at his hands, fingers surprisingly lacking blood on them. "Uh, yeah. Hey, thanks."

"You're that kid on the posters," said Rann, his suspicions confirmed once he saw the eyes.

"Oh, crap," said the man. "Now I've done it."

"Guy on what posters?" asked Daxtin in puzzlement.

"That Lucas guy all those girls were cheering for," said Rann.

"Hell, don't you recognize me?" he asked, turning to face Daxtin.

"No, why should I – whoa, your eyes!" the boy blurted in surprise. "Are they supposed to do that?"

"What? Oh, that," said the man uneasily. "Yeah. They're Al Bhed eyes."

"Al-what eyes?" he asked skeptically.

"Maybe we should start over," sighed the other. "Look. Yes, I'm the famous Lucas of the Besaid Aurochs, star blitzball player. I'm kinda popular, and while I like the attention, I'm not so keen on the noise and distractions right before a game. Unfortunately, manager had me scheduled for press meetings from the moment I stepped off the boat almost until we play ball. So I snuck out. Put on this guard uniform, some eye cover, walked right out of there. All well until I got picked up by those three while looking around. Even with the eye cover, well, actually, kind of because of it, they decided I was an Al Bhed. The Al Bhed are a people that have been persecuted since ancient times for using machina, and even though the use of machina is fine now, there's still some old grudges floating around."

"And your eyes?" asked Daxtin.

"These are Al Bhed eyes," said Lucas, indicating his optics. They were a vibrant green, but the strange thing was that they had spirals instead of just pupil dots. "The Al Bhed tend to keep 'em covered, so I get harassed anytime I go around with goggles on, and even more when I don't; I guess that's an advantage to having legions of fans; they tend to keep the dissenters away."

"You never said you're an Al Bhed though," noted Rann.

"I'm not. Well, not really," he explained. "Got a little bit in my blood a ways back, just enough to give me these eyes, but I never even met a real Al Bhed until I was twelve. Besides, their Blitzball team's horrible."

"Hey, I've been wondering since we got here," interrupted Daxtin. "But… what _is_ Blitzball?"

"What?" sputtered Lucas, almost choking. "You're joking right? You don't know what Blitzball is?" Both Rann and Daxtin shook their heads. "Look, two teams are pitted against each other and try to score by throwing, or kicking the ball into the opposing team's goal. Now, the real strategy comes in with…" He broke off as he saw his audience of two was not following a word he said. "You know what? Might just be easier to show you. Here," he said, digging some papers out of his pockets. "Just show these at the gates, should get you in just fine. Front row seats." Walking down the pier, he gave them a wave as he tossed his stolen sword into the water. "As thanks for the save, y'know? See you in half an hour."

* * *

"Looks pretty packed," noted Rann as they waded through the cheering crowds. True to that, the stadium bleachers were entirely filled with Blitzball enthusiasts. The stadium was circular, about a hundred and fifty meters across at the top and a hundred meters across at the bottom row of seats. What was puzzling was that there didn't look to be a playing field down there, just a bunch of machinery, including two huge rings that filled up a lot of the center area. 

"Good thing Lucas gave us these tickets then," said Daxtin. "Now where do you think our seats are?"

"Down there," answered the brunette, pointing and leading the way.

"How do you figure?" asked Daxtin as he half-jogged, half-tripped down the stairs.

"Only empty seats in the whole place," he said simply.

It took a while to push through the crowds, but eventually they made it to their seats, stopping to pick up sodas and chips on the way.

"So I don't get it, where do they play?" asked Daxtin as he settled in his seat.

"Quiet, I think it's starting," said Rann, ripping open his bag of chips.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," roared a voice on loudspeaker, filling the stadium and drawing a sudden hush from the crowd, "I'd like to welcome you to Luca Stadium and the opening game of the 21st Blitzball season under Lord Jeska, in an explosive match between the Kilika Beasts… and the _Besaid Aurochs_!"

At this point the crowd went wild with cheering and the air filled with hundreds of released balloons. At the same moment, huge streams of water shot out of giant pipes into the center of the arena. However, instead of falling into the machinery below, which was whirring to life, it stopped meters above. The swirling liquid soon filled out a concave shape, an invisible globe of force containing it. It wasn't long before the center of the arena was occupied by a huge sphere of water. Machines came in from the sides and placed triangular goals and various field markers in the water, where they stayed suspended in place long after the machines retreated.

"They're gonna play in there?" said Daxtin incredulously.

"See if you can hold your breath as long," suggested Rann, looking on with mild interest. As he did, players came out from one of the sides of the coliseum and walked along a catwalk to the playing sphere.

"And now, the Kilika Beasts!" shouted the announcer. There was much cheering as he announced each team member and they jumped into the sphere pool, but the real noise didn't start until the next set of players came on. "And now, the moment you've all been waiting for… the Besaid Aurochs!"

The noise reached such a level that Daxtin had to cover his ears as he and Rann suddenly found themselves surrounded by standing, cheering, jumping, screaming fans. But this was nothing compared to the cacophony when the last player got ready to take the dive.

"And here he is, Blitzball Superstar, Lucas!"

Sure enough, out on the platform was Lucas, having ditched his guard disguise for a light weight, short-sleeve jacket over his bare chest and baggy mesh pants. Giving a wave at the crowd, the young man jumped into the air, turning a full spin before spiraling into the water. Sucking in his breath, Daxtin watched the star player get into position. Then, at the announcer's call and the buzz of the timer, the first match started, the bumpy blitzball shooting up into the center of the pool.

It wasn't long before Daxtin let out an explosive gasp and had to breathe, and not long after that, both he and Rann were having trouble keeping track of the game. It seemed to involve lots of swimming, throwing and kicking the ball to teammates, interceptions, and tackles, among other physical feats Daxtin was sure he couldn't do underwater. With no uniforms to speak of, it was exceedingly hard to tell which team had the ball unless one knew the players, and the only relief was the relatively simple score system: put the ball in the opponent's team and a point was scored. In the end, they settled on only watching Lucas and the ball, the only two identifiable features, which happened to also spend a lot of time together, usually in the form of Lucas sending the ball into the opposing team's goal.

After about five minutes of this, the buzzer rang and the round was over. As the other players headed for the platforms and rigs that came from the side and poked into the water for their convenience, the star player instead headed straight for them. Daxtin and Rann jumped from their seats in surprise as the tanned blonde shot from the sphere pool, executed a well-turned flip and landed right before them in a spray of water.

"Hey, guys," he said, grinning and breathing a little hard. He was soaking wet, but didn't seem to mind, similar to how he paid no heed to the girls fainting all around him and the stunned fans digging through their bags for something to autograph. "So, what'd you think?"

"That was pretty cool," said Daxtin with a smile.

"I'm wet," commented Rann blandly, shaking droplets from his hands.

"There's towels in the locker room," laughed Lucas. "Why don't you come with me? I can introduce you to the rest of the team," he said, and then, lowering his voice, added, "and we can get away from the crazed masses."

"As long as there are towels," muttered the brunette.

* * *

"So, you guys don't have anything like Blitzball where you come from?" asked Lucas as they sat on the wooden benches in the locker room. 

"No, not enough water in Twilight Town," replied Daxtin. "And the beach is kind of shallow."

"Only fools try to swim in the Rising Falls," added Rann.

"Well, maybe… wait, what was that?" said Lucas, holding up a hand for silence.

"What was what?" asked Daxtin, looking around cautiously.

"I thought I heard screaming," said the blitzballer.

"You sure it's not just your fans?" said the gunbladier.

"No, it was different. It was…"

And then the whole stadium went up in screams and cries of fright. The walls rumbled and shook as people stampeded in panic.

"What's going on out there?" asked Daxtin, Joiner and Divider appearing in his hands.

"I don't know, but I have a hunch," said Rann, drawing his gunblade.

"Well, let's check it out," shouted Lucas, pulling a large sword, about four feet long, out of his locker. Daxtin and Rann were already out the door and the star player wasn't far behind them.

* * *

"What _are_ those things?" shouted Lucas in surprise. 

"Heartless," said Rann before cutting down a fish-man-like monster with a submarine-shaped head. Similar creatures, along with shark-like Heartless and the always present shadows, filled the stadium, chasing about people and beating back guards.

"But where's the source?" asked Daxtin, looking about. "They've got to be coming from somewhere."

"Do they come from things like that?" ventured Lucas, pointing over to the right. Sure enough, a gigantic portal of darkness was opening in the stands, Heartless crawling out of it. As they watched, it bulged in the center, the burst as a giant, mummified figure came out, a hideous wrapped beast with beady eyes peering out from between its shroud, along with huge fangs and claws. Its arms were chained in placed, crossed over its chest with palms upwards, it head arching back to unleash its eerie roar.

"What is it?" shouted Daxtin even as they cut their way through the masses of Heartless to reach it. The hideous, mummified creature stopped at the end of the torso, the rest disappearing into the dark portal which spawned it, and from which more Heartless continued to flow.

"It, it looks like a mythical monster, the Aeon Anima!" replied Lucas, sliding past a shadow as he cut it in half. "But that can't be right!"

"Whatever it is, we have to deal with it," said Rann, charging in. Jumping off a toothy Heartless shark, he launched himself at the fifty-foot tall monstrosity. As he flew through the air, the creature shook, crying in an unearthly wail. The air suddenly filled with globules of black. Necrotic, mummified hands with dangling chain reached from these portals, darkness flowing off them as they reached for the gunbladier. He sliced through one, and then jumped off another as the steel of his gunblade cut through a questing limb. As he maneuvered in mid air though, a grasping hand came up behind him.

"Rann!" shouted Daxtin, throwing Divider. The black aura blade spun through the air, severing fingers from hands and hands from wrists as it flew. Crashing into the offending limb in an explosion of disintegrating darkness, Divider fell back into its master's hands as the boy jumped into the air to follow, slashing at hands with Joiner and jumping off others.

"I think it's readying another attack!" warned Lucas, coming up behind the two of them along the hazardous stairway of hands. Sure enough, Anima had thrown its head back, fish-like mouth open in a vicious slash as it rattled it chains. Between its jaws, a huge ball of shadows began to form, coagulating into a pulsing, sickly mass. Throwing its face forwards, Anima released the energies it had gathered in a rain of deathly black globs which hissed on impact with the many summoned hands that filled the air.

Daxtin jumped back off a hand, narrowly avoiding the acidic black goop, swinging Joiner and Divider in quick bursts of power to keep the deadly rain at bay. Not far away, Rann was blasting the necrotic globs with fire spells as Lucas formed a barrier of water. It was working well until the hands disappeared.

Suddenly left with nothing to stand on, the trio found themselves falling, unbalanced and out of control. Landing hard on the stadium floor, they expected another rain of consumptive darkness, but none came. Looking up, they saw why both the summoned hands and the decaying rain stopped.

"What is that?" shouted Lucas, pointing his longsword at Anima's head. The mummified spirit had its head thrown back and its chained palms facing skywards, a swirling mass of black and green light spinning into existence above it.

"Whatever it is, we can't let it get that off," Rann yelled, shooting a large fireball from his palm. The flaming projectile paled in size to the gathering energies and disappeared into the churning mass with no visible effect. "We'll have to get in closer."

"How?" demanded the blitzball player. "Without the hands, there's no path up there!"

"Then we'll just make one!" shouted Daxtin, dismissing Joiner. Taking Divider in both hands, he plunged the end of the blade, glowing bright blue-green, into the ground, a huge rent in the concrete flooring opening up. "Grand Line!"

Charging up, he left a long, glowing fissure in the ground right up to the shadowy base of the monster. Ramming straight through the Heartless that were pooling there, he proceeded to run right up Anima's body, dragging his blade along in one vicious wound that spilled forth blue-green light. Cutting through the wrappings and chains, he continued past the folded arms and up its neck. Reaching the apex of his climb, he leapt into the air, the lengthy fissure he'd carved into the stadium and the monster exploding in a flash of light. Despite this, he wasn't done yet.

Switching the black aura blade for its counterpart, he took Joiner in both hands, blade facing downwards as he fell back towards the monster's mouth.

"Final Seal!" he shouted. A beam of light shot from the end of his weapon, plunging into the depths of Anima's maw and filling it with light. Behind him, the growing mass of dark energy suddenly faltered, and then collapsed in on itself in a swirling implosion. Anima roared one last wail of agony before sinking back into the darkness, the nearby Heartless being sucked in as it died. Riding its face down to the depths, Daxtin jumped off just before it fell back into the darkness from which it came, landing neatly on the stadium benches.

"C-cool," sputtered Lucas as he ran up to the shrinking portal of darkness. "You really saved us back there."

"Not bad, kid," admitted Ran, shouldering his gunblade and giving the slightest of smiles.

"These blitzball games are kind of rough on a guy," laughed Daxtin, stumbling in exhaustion. "I think you can count me out for the next one."

"Yeah, I think it's more your fault than the blitzball's," replied Lucas. "Too bad they'll have to cancel the rest of the game. And we were winning too." At that moment, several girls came running up and surrounded the young man, spouting praise and gratitude for rescuing them from the fearsome beast.

"You know, I kind of wish _I_ had a fanclub," muttered Daxtin as he and Rann walked away.

"You already do," replied Rann. When the boy raised an eyebrow at him, he added, "The Princess and that other girl, right?"

"Oh yeah, um, Kairi," said Daxtin after a moment's thought. "And Anya. I wouldn't really call that a fanclub though."

"As long as you don't forget your friends," shrugged Rann.

"I would never forget my friends," said Daxtin, playfully punching the older man in the shoulder. However, in the back of his mind, there was a doubt.


	7. Reflections

Hey: Shorter chapter this time, sort of. Hope you don't mind. Then again, I kind of meant for the last two chapters to be one chapter, but that turned out to be too long, so I split them.

Also, Kensuke Vocabulator:  
_Hisashiburi_: Long time, no see  
_Ojou-chan_: Young lady (diminutive)  
_Ki o tsukete_: Be careful

* * *

Chapter 6: Reflections

* * *

As the light faded, Diant and Anya found themselves standing in a barren wasteland before a gleaming white citadel. There was no movement, no life anywhere behind them, and before them nothing but the imposing alabaster walls of the castle. 

"I don't remember any place like this," said Diant, looking around.

"I do," whispered Anya, face pale and eyes full of dread. "This is… Kami. The world of my sis- I mean, my Other. Emeline."

"So this is where the girls died," mused Diant. "Roxtarit and Kensuke were here too. You think we might see them?"

"Maybe you will, maybe you won't," called a playful voice from the other side of the wall. "You'll never know if you don't step through the gate."

As the speaker finished, the ornate white gates to the palace swung majestically inwards, revealing a spacious courtyard with beautifully laid out gardens, a stark contrast to the lifeless desert outside the walls. A path led from the gates the front doors of the tall, highly fanciful castle within, and along that path stood two figures in black cloaks. The first was a spiky-haired blonde with slim eyes and fox-like smile, who waved a gloved hand at them happily. His companion, wearing a plain white mask with only curved slits for eyes and flame-like designs, had flaring locks of red hair that flowed a little ways down his back. He merely regarded the two intruders with a tilt of his head.

"Kensuke, Roxtarit," said Diant with a grin, nodding to each in turn. "Good to see you."

"_Hisashiburi_," greeted the blonde in return, the red head just giving a nod. "Of course, I'm not really sure this counts as seeing you, seeing as how we're just figments of your imagination."

"That's true," murmured Roxtarit as he came up to them. "Since it's not real, I could be doing without this mask, but why ruin the suspense? After all, you never saw me with it off."

"You're seeming talkative," commented Diant. "That's a little abnormal."

"No, that's more what he's really like," said Anya quietly, remembering the red head with the cocky grin at the Altar of Naught.

"Now, now, don't go spoiling it, _Ojou-chan_," smiled Kensuke.

"Memories and mysteries aside, what are you two doing here?" asked Diant.

"Just sayin' hello," replied the grinning blonde.

"What, can't a few friends stop in with that much?" added Roxtarit.

"Not when they're dead," said Diant. "I've been seeing too many dead people."

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about Death and us," chuckled the masked Nobody.

"Anyway, you've wasted enough time here," said Kensuke. "You should probably get going to the real challenge in this castle-within-a-castle. You know who it is, don't you?"

"No," said the boy.

"Yes," said the girl. Anya sighed, and then answered, "Emeline."

"Now you're getting it," laughed Roxtarit, a dark portal opening behind him. "See you around!"

"Or maybe not," amended Kensuke as his companion disappeared. Stepping into his own portal, he said, "you never know, with memories. _Ki o tsukete, ne_?"

Leaving the gardens behind, they entered the castle itself, domain of the Paper Witch Emeline.

* * *

They walked down the spacious white halls of the paper citadel, encountering no living thing besides the folded automatons that Emeline had drawn. They said nothing as they went, and it was finally Diant who broke the silence. 

"Um, so, what's on your mind?" he asked his solemn companion. "You seem kind of down."

"It's odd," replied Anya. "This place frightens me, but another part of me feels nostalgically comfortable here, in these familiar corridors."

"Really? I thought you'd only been here twice," commented the boy. "Once when you escaped Emeline and again when you came with Daxtin, right?"

"Well, I guess," she said. "But after what happened in The World that Never Was, I regained all of my memories. Both those of my past incarnations, and also Emeline's. She is, after all, my Other."

"And this place is her home," mused Diant. "I guess that might be why it feels a little nostalgic for you." He paused then, thinking then said, "Hey, you two, together, are Xenthora, right? One of No Heart's vessels."

"Well, we _were_, but I'm not sure we still are," she answered. "Xenthora was a part of No Heart, but since he was sealed from the Realm of Light, I think we might just be Anya and Emeline now."

"Whatever," he said, continuing on. "What I mean is, does that mean you have No Heart's memories as well?"

"She doesn't, but I do," said a clear, feminine voice. Broken from their conversation, the two looked down the hallway to see a young girl coming towards them. She had a pale, artfully curved face with high forehead and long, platinum blonde hair. She wore a long-sleeve navy blue blouse and matching pleated skirt over knee-high socks and polished black shoes, looking like a schoolgirl's uniform. She had sharp blue eyes and carried a large tome with her.

"Emeline," hissed Anya, the Shadow Lance appearing in her hands.

"Hello, little sister," murmured the other girl fondly, an amused look on her face.

"You're not my sister!" she shouted back.

"Of course not," agreed Emeline. "After all, how could I be? I'm just a reflection. Hmm, yes, even as just a projection of your memories I can tell reality from illusion. Can you?"

"Of course we can," said Diant confidently, the aura blades Joiner and Divider appearing in hand. "Now what did you mean about No Heart's memories?"

"It's something I know that Anya does not," she replied calmly, paying no mind to the drawn weapons. "Memories that her fragile heart has locked away, but that I can look full in the face." She paused then and sighed, before continuing, "I have to admit though, I can't access the memories of a previous Era, back to the time of that boy Sora, or that of the original hero of the Keyblade. But I know what's important now."

"And what would that be?" he asked.

"Simply, that it's not over yet," she said. "So far, we've had two: that fool Xatheron and his petty Organization, and myself. In origin, No Heart only had one incarnation, who was defeated by the first Keyblade master. Then, five hundred years later, he became Xehanort, who was two: Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, and Xemnas, original founder of the 13th Order. Again, defeat. But now, the truth is, there are not one, not two, but _three_ vessels. Xatheron, Xenthora… and one other."

"Who is the other? Where is he?" the boy demanded.

"I honestly don't know," said the girl with a shrug. "I am, after all, merely a projection of _her_ memories," she said, pointing a languid hand at Anya. "But really, I don't think you need to worry about it."

"And why do you say that?"

"Because you'll never make it past here," she replied with a serene smile. Rising about half a foot into the air, she levitated, her hair streaming behind her in the flow of power as her book hovered before her. "You're weak. Both of you, fools of the darkness, reborn in shadows and destined to fade into them once again. Let me send you on your way."

At the wave of her hand, her book opened, spreading its pages at the pair. Suddenly, long streaming tendrils of paper shot from the grimoire at them. Daxtin dodged to the side, deflecting the grasping ribbons with his aura blades as Anya cut through them with her dark spear. Cutting ahead through the swathes, the dark girl leapt over jutting spikes of paper that came shooting from the floor. Emeline quickly raised a round shield of pages between the two of them, only for it to be cut down in a single cutting slash from the Shadow Lance. Shooting forwards, Anya lashed out in a wave of darkness, cutting straight through the blonde girl.

"Did you get her?" asked Diant. But the slain body merely crumpled apart into shreds of paper that drifted downwards to the floor. Just as Anya turned about, Emeline was there before her, eyes black holes with mere pinpricks of light in the center surrounded by radiating lines of white, like a flower, a star, or the crosshairs of a gun. In the blink of the eye, the world flashed inverse; white was black, black was white, and then it ended in the roll of booming thunder as the invisible force hit Anya in the shoulder, splattering blood across the white, white walls as she barely avoided a fatal blow. As the dark girl stumbled, Diant charged in to cover for her, aura blades swinging.

Emeline blocked Divider with her book, gliding back a little to avoid his swing with Joiner. Keeping up his momentum, Diant charged in anyway, spinning once to bring his blades back around at her. Emeline stepped back, arms outstretched at him as she unleashed long streamers of paper at him. The tendrils wrapped around his arms, binding and entangling them. Before he could react, the paper fetters hand encircled his hands, constricting around his weapons and arms so that he could not escape.

"Had enough?" asked Emeline mildly.

"Never," growled Diant as a flash of blue-green light suddenly illuminated the inside of the tangled knot that engulfed his blades. "Razor Light!"

There was a burst of energy and then suddenly the two aura blades spun free, sharp, concise beams of light shooting from their ends as they spun about, burning lines in the walls and cutting through the many paper obstacles and protrusions that Emeline summoned. Joiner and Divider turned freely in the air, spinning around their master as they cut down any attack the witch sent at him. Raising his arms, he drew the blades upwards above him so that they pointed at each other, the two blades circling a single point as their opposing lasers met at the nexus in a growing sphere of energy. Finally, Diant grabbed the handles of the two blades and lashed out with a powerful cross slash that sent the gleaming ball of power flying at Emeline.

"Flash bomb!" he shouted as it exploded, bathing the hallway in blinding light. However, as the brightness faded, giant spikes of paper came shooting out of the floor at him. Diant dodged back, barely escaping the first wave only to be left defenseless in midair as the next set of jagged shards came. He could only watch as the next set of protrusions grew out of the ground, angling up at him.

And then the world flashed black and the white weapons exploded all around before the shadowy power that stood there. Diant landed on his feet, unharmed and untouched. Down the hallway stood Emeline, seemingly unscathed by his previous attack. And between them was Anya.

This was no longer the timid girl Diant had seen before. As he watched, dark shadows slid across her skin, turning her from pale white to darkest black. Long, smoky waves of darkness rolled off her, streaming in thin ribbons of shadow. As he walked up cautiously beside her, he could see her eyes, black with the smallest specks of white, just like when her Other had taken her out before. The Shadow Lance was no longer just her weapon, it was a _part_ of her, an extension of her will.

"Oh?" murmured Emeline in amusement as the darkness approached her. Pages detached from her book then went flying, razor sharp, down the hall at her only to explode into confetti shreds before her force. Summoning another wave of paper spikes, Emeline watched as her Heartless cut through them with ease, not even slowing down as she approached. The blonde waved a hand, moving her book before her to block a cutting wave of shadows as Anya gave a swing of the Shadow Lance. As she struck out again with the obsidian spar, Emeline glided back as she summoned a wall of paper. Instead of seeing it cut down, though, the darkness manifested in long grasping tendrils that came from the floor, growing out of a pool of shadows below her that swiftly wrapped around her body and bound her in place. The paper barrier disintegrated and her attendant book fell to the floor, lifeless as its mistress stood bound. "Not bad."

Anya gave no acknowledgment of the words, only lashed out with her darkness and cut her down.

There was a flash of light, and suddenly she was sent flying back, the darkness stripped from her. Tumbling through the air, she gave a small gasp as her fall was suddenly cut short. Opening her eyes, she found herself in Diant's arms. She smiled weakly at him, before blushing as she realized their proximity and scrambling to her feet. Before Diant could say anything about it, though, a familiar voice rang out down the hall with an accompaniment of sarcastic clapping.

"Not bad at all," murmured Emeline as she watched the two of them approach. Where they were still wary, she seemed completely at ease, as if the last few minutes of fighting had never happened. "I suppose I can let you pass."

"Gee, thanks," muttered Diant.

"But I should warn you: it only gets worse from here," said the prophetess. "Even as you struggle to leave the depths of this Castle, you'll only find greater and greater darkness as you approach the surface."

"I'm not afraid of the dark," he shouted.

"Even when it's of your own making?' she asked. "You, boy, will have to face that darkness you steeped yourself in when this began, that darkness that you accepted into your heart, that darkness that you tried to deny by playing as the 'Shining Warrior', before this is all over. As for you, little sister," she murmured fondly, turning to Anya. "Take care. Even if you steep yourself in shadows, your heart remains as fragile as ever. I fear before this is done, it will have been taken from you."

"What do you mean?" she asked softly.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" replied her Other with a smirk. "But I suppose that's enough mysteries for now. Go, fall into this delightful trap. And if you get out alive, perhaps we'll meet again." A whirlwind kicked up around her, blowing pages and pieces of paper about until she was nearly obscured from view. "In fact, I'm sure we'll meet again. That is, the real me, of course."

And then she was gone.

* * *

The transfer from Emeline's gleaming paper citadel to the polished white surfaces of Castle Oblivion was a subtle one, mostly only marked in the change of ornamentation and lighting. Silence broken only by their footsteps filled the hallway as the two brooded over their separate warnings that the witch had given them. It wasn't until they ascended the stairs to the next floor that they were broken from their thinking. 

"Welcome to the 10th basement floor," murmured the calm voice of a young girl. Looking ahead, the pair found a small black cloaked figure blocking their way. Whoever she was also held a smaller cloaked figure in the crook of her arm. "Enjoying your stay?"

"I was going to say, 'Organization XIII!' but you aren't, are you?" said Diant, eying the figure suspiciously. "The cloak's a little different. Not to mention only Fuuen's close to that small and you're definitely not her. So who are you?"

"Oh? You don't like me shrouded in mystery?" asked the cloaked girl.

"I've had enough of cloaked figures and secrecy," he growled, Joiner and Divider appearing in his hands.

"So be it," she said, giving a wave of her arm. As she did, the black cloak she wore disintegrated into shreds of darkness that quickly faded away, revealing the figure within. She was a young girl, maybe a little over four feet tall and looking to be only ten to twelve years in age. She had slim, intelligent gray eyes and a solemn face above which were neatly trimmed bangs of blonde hair, nearly white, coming out from under her black hair band. Most of her hair was done up in two fancily curled tails, held back by black bows and going down to her back, matched by miniature curls hanging to each side of her face. She wore a gothic-style dress, all black velvet and thin white lace over knee-length black platform-sole boots, complemented by the small, black, bat-like wings over each shoulder. Offsetting, or perhaps completing the look, was the white stuffed bunny rabbit held in one arm, with little red eyes and a sewn up mouth. "My name is Luciella. I am a servant of the Mistress of Shadows."

"Very impressive," said Diant dryly. "And why are you bothering me, little girl? I don't exactly have time for a gloomy skull tea party."

"Oh, I have a certain… interest in you, Diant," she said, ignoring his remarks. "I need your data."

"What?" he asked, but before he got a response, he was forced to dodge back as a ball of darkness formed right in front of him and burst in a scurrying of shadows and flutter of wings. Guarding with Joiner and Divider, he knocked away the next of such formations then jumped aside as a slicing claw of darkness shot from the floor and nearly took off his leg.

Seeing her concentration on Diant, Anya took this moment to charge in on Luciella. However, just as she got within striking distance, she felt a prick in the back of her neck and then suddenly she wasn't moving. No matter how hard she tried, not a single muscle of her body would respond.

"I'm sorry, Anya, but right now, I have no time for you," said the doll-like girl, not even looking her way as she continued to send dark summons Diant's way. "It is not your Other I have an interest in, and therefore, not your data that I need."

"What do you mean?" she managed to gasp past partly stilled lips.

"I mean to say, Daxtin is here," replied the girl calmly.

"Daxtin?" said Anya, her breath catching in her throat.

"My Nobody? What do you want with my Nobody?" demanded Diant.

Instead of answering him, however, Luciella merely waved a hand his way, sending another shot of darkness at him. Diant dodged and then lunged forwards at her, lashing out with both aura blades. The girl disappeared in a swirl of darkness, reappearing a little way down the hall.

"Preliminary analysis complete," she murmured to herself, no longer even looking his way. As the spiky-haired youth turned and charged, she absently waved a hand in his direction. As she did, a pool of shadows formed on the ground between them. Diant came to a stop before it, watching it warily as it stirred. Before his eyes, the darkness rose from the ground, quickly taking shape. Soon, the simulacrum was complete: a mirror image of himself all in black, a featureless shadow in his shape.

"Like that'll stop me!" he roared, spinning and bringing both blades down at the copy. The shadow clone blocked with its own dark imitations of the aura blades. The two clashed in perfect reflection of each other, matching one another blow for blow. Every hit exchanged, ever strike parried only served to aggravate Diant further, the blue-green orbs inset into his blades glowing brighter and brighter. "You're just a shadow!" he shouted. "Take this: Meteora!"

As both Joiner and Divider caught fire, he brought them around in a devastating upper slash, smashing right through his shadow's guard and launching the imitation into the air. Jumping up to follow, Diant continued to pummel it with a series of burning slashes as he himself became wreathed in flame. Reaching the apex of his flight, he brought both blades up above his head.

"Bet you can't do this," he yelled. "Burnout!"

The explosion filled the hall. Diant landed hard on his feet, the tiles cracking beneath him with the force of his burning impact as the fire in the air behind him imploded before finally blowing out in a spectacular blast. As he stood, the air cleared, revealing that the shadowy imitation had been wiped from existence.

"Is that enough _data_, little girl?" he growled menacingly as he approached Luciella.

"Actually, yes," she replied simply, watching him clinically as she chewed the ear of her bunny absently. "I'll send the results by later."

Without so much as another word, she was engulfed in a swirl of darkness and then was gone. Diant could only look on with an angry glare as she got away.

"Are you all right?" asked Anya, coming up to where he stood fuming.

"Shut up," he said shortly before turning and heading for the next White Room.

* * *

"So, did you receive what you desired?" asked the white-cloaked figure as Luciella appeared. 

"Of course," said the morbidly-dressed girl. "I have all the data required."

"Leave," said the hooded figure in the Organization cloak.

"If you don't mind, I still have a few things to do down here," said Luciella frostily. "I'll be needing a little of your space here. If that is okay with you, of course?"

"Of course," replied the figure in white, recognizing the threat implicit. "But might I ask what you are doing?"

"The creation of a new puppet," she replied simply. She turned and sent him a cool glare. "I've made a replica."


	8. Her Name

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Everyone should watch it. It's made of win and god. On a less inane not, this chapter we once again revisit my theme of reusing canonical names. And though it depresses me to admit it, it occurs to one that TFC will be following pretty closely to CoM. However, hopefully there's enough differences that it's still interesting, eh?

* * *

Chapter 7: Her Name

* * *

"So, do you remember any more about that girl?" asked Rann as they came to the 5th floor. 

"A little," muttered Daxtin, thinking on it. "I remember she was pretty quiet. I think she was one of, um… Kairi's friends. We hung out with her when Kairi showed me and Anya around the island. Um… I think she kinda liked me," said Daxtin with an uneasy chuckle, blushing a little.

"You're not a normal Nobody, are you?" noted Rann, seeing his fluster.

"What?"

"Never mind. Do you remember anything else about her?"

"Well, she liked drawing. Always carried around this big sketch pad. She didn't like us to watch while she drew though, and sometimes wouldn't even show us after it was done. She showed us a few of her pictures though; they were pretty good."

"Interesting as that is, I don't get why you're remembering now," said Rann. "Is this really anything important?"

"I think so…" he replied, trailing off. "There was something… I told her something… aww, geez… if I could just remember her name! I swear it's on the tip of my tongue."

"Well, for not even remembering her when we got here, you've come pretty far," Rann reassured him. "At this rate, you'll remember everything about her in no time at all."

"Well, what about you?" said Daxtin. "Have you remembered anything important?"

"No," replied the brunette, "but I don't think I've forgotten anything important either. I still remember my mission: I'm here to find Meili."

"Who's that?" asked Daxtin. But rather than answer him, the solemn warrior pushed on and up the stairs to the next section of the castle.

* * *

A direct contrast of Castle Oblivion's white interior, the pair found themselves in a dark cavern, its bluish black walls lit only by the sparingly placed torches and odd ghostly lights that floated through the air, giving off a dim glow. 

"What kind of place is this?" asked Daxtin, looking about.

"Not sure," replied Rann cautiously.

"It's the Underworld," said a cheery voice behind them. Turning around, the pair saw a young man with curly blonde hair waving at them. He had blue eyes and an innocent smile that fit well with his rounded face. He wore a short white toga and a crown of laurels, and carried a lute, a small harp-like instrument.

"The Underworld?" asked Daxtin skeptically.

"You know, the place where the spirits of the dead go?" he said. He waved a hand out at the floating lights that were drifting around. "Like those pyreflies. Those are the spirits of the dead." He laughed as Daxtin dodged back from one that flew close to him. "Don't worry, they're harmless. They're no one important either, otherwise they'd still have human form."

"Thanks for the information," said Rann flatly, "but you don't look very dead to me. What are you doing here?"

"Now, I'm not sure I should tell you, scary man," said the musician lightly.

"Sorry, I guess we should have introduced ourselves first," replied Daxtin as Rann gave the man a hard stare. "My name's Daxtin, and he's Rann. And you are?"

"Name's Orpheus," replied the blonde, giving a light strum of his lute. "I came here to get my guardian."

"Your guardian?"

"Yes, he was captured by the Hades, Lord of the Underworld. But traveling the world, spreading my soulful melodies and eloquent poems, is a dangerous journey, and I simply _can't_ make it without my guardian. So I came here to rescue him."

"If you can't make it in the real world without a guardian, how do you expect to rescue him from the Underworld without one?" asked Rann incredulously.

"Well, you see, I've gained a bit of immunity around here from the local condition: death. Being a world-famous deity-class musician has its upsides, you see. Similarly, I can normally charm my way right through here to wherever I want… but unfortunately, it seems Hades has a debt of a personal nature to settle with my guardian, and is beyond my music's reach. On top of that, he has a guard dog watching him, and music fails to soothe this savage beast."

"So you're stuck here?" asked Daxtin.

"I _was._ But then you two came along!" said Orpheus happily. "Two big strong guys like you could easily defeat that dog for me and rescue my guardian! Heck, you probably don't even need my music to tranquilize the Heartless. What do you say?"

"What's in it for us?" interrupted Rann before Diant could say "yes".

"What's in it – what's _in it for you?_" sputtered the lyricist. "Why, a grand song, no, a ballad of _epic_ proportions, detailing how two brave heroes aided me in my time of need, fighting into the depths of the Underworld itself to rescue one of the greatest warriors that ever lived! You'll be immortalized, known for generations to come!"

"Oh, come on, Rann, are you really going to leave a guy stranded?" cajoled Daxtin.

"Well, I could do with a bit of immortalizing," muttered the scarred man. "Fine, let's go see this Hades about getting your guardian back."

* * *

"So, what's this Hades guy like, anyway?" asked Daxtin as they walked through the underworld. It was eerie to be strolling through the land of the dead, all dark caverns alight with pyreflies, but eerier still were the Heartless: not their appearance, ghostly and grim as they were, but the fact that, as long as Orpheus kept playing his lute, the dark creatures seemed content to go about their own business, completely ignoring the three of them.

"What's Hades like? Well, if we're lucky, you'll never have to find out," replied the musician, extracting another soothing melody from his instrument. "Generally speaking, though, he's sarcastic, cruel, selfish, and demanding. Short fuse too. I heard the Underworld was in flames for years when he heard Hercules had been promoted to god hood. But that's _literally_ ancient history."

"If we're not going to deal with Hades, how are we supposed to get your guardian back?" asked Rann, absently flicking away a Heartless that strayed too close with his gunblade.

"I told you already, he _can't_ be dealt with," drawled Orpheus. "He's got an irrational grudge against my guardian and won't part with him."

"Sounds like you should just get a new guardian," suggested Daxtin.

"Ah, what fleeting bonds you mortals must have," he moaned dramatically. "He's not just my guardian, he's a _dear_ friend and I couldn't bear to abandon him so."

"Understandable," admitted Rann. "So then what's the plan?

"Well, Hades has since grown bored of displaying him as a trophy in his throne room, and has since had my man moved to a special prison guarded by the aforementioned hound. Simply enough, we just have to defeat the guard dog and free him, and hope Hades doesn't notice until we're long gone."

"Well, I'm sure we can take care of one little dog," said Daxtin confidently.

* * *

"Impossible," he groaned, peering out from behind a crag of stalagmites at the monster before the gates. "There's no way we can beat that." 

"What was that about being sure we can take care of one little dog?" murmured Rann dryly.

"That was before I saw it!" whispered Daxtin in a panic. "Besides, can you really call that little? Or even _one_ dog?"

"Well, Cerberus _is_ known for having three-heads," said Orpheus helplessly. Sure enough, the giant black dog at the gates had three snarling heads, each looking a different direction as it stood guard with fierce red eyes and mouths the size of doors filled with foot-long teeth.

"Whatever! We can't beat something like that!" hissed Daxtin

"Aren't you two brave and dashing heroes?" whined the flustered musician.

"Not really," replied the boy.

"…whatever," said the swordsman.

"Fine," huffed Orpheus. "I guess I'll have to… play you a song."

"What? I don't think now's really a great time…" started Daxtin.

"No, don't you understand?" he said. "I'm no ordinary musician. As sure as I can wring tears from the rocks or charm the birds from the skies, I can play such a melody of bravery and valor that even ones such as you can take on yonder foul beast of hell."

"What do you mean, 'even ones such as us'?" demanded Daxtin in an offended tone.

"Never mind, let's just get this over with," interrupted an annoyed Rann. "Musician, do whatever. Daxtin, stop complaining and come on."

Leading the way, the scarred swordsman came out from behind the rocks and charged the huge dog, Daxtin reluctantly following while Orpheus stayed by the rocks as he tuned and readied his instrument.

Cerberus immediately spotted them, turning the attention of all three of its vicious heads in their direction. Barking loudly, it made a prodigious leap towards them, landing with enough force to set the entire cavern rumbling in the impact. Daxtin dodged under the snapping jaws as Rann deflected one of the questing heads with a quick slash of the gunblade. As Daxtin started attacking one of its legs and Rann struggled to hold off its heads, Cerberus suddenly spun around, lashing at Rann in a flurry of teeth and tail and sending Daxtin flying out from under it.

"We could really use some of that bravery and valor you promised!" yelled the boy as he landed a few yards from Orpheus in a cloud of dust.

"Just a second, just a – ah, here we go…" muttered the musician as he finally finished his preparations. He began playing his lute, his fingers gliding across the worn strings, its stirring and forceful melody reverberating throughout the entire cavern.

Immediately, Daxtin could feel its effects; it was as if his body was infused with all the energy of the sun, bursting with power and light. It suddenly seemed like Cerberus moved with agonizing slowness, the snapping of its triple jaws no longer a sharp staccato but an achingly slow beat. As Rann fought with one of the heads that had gotten a hold of the end of his gunblade, Daxtin jumped up to attack the center face. However, the head on the left dove in the way, aiming to take off his arm, but succeeding only in biting the end of his aura blade.

"Divider!" shouted the boy, the black blade flashing between the hound's teeth. The aura blade slid out from the huge new gap in Cerberus's teeth, and before it could try again, he struck out with his other weapon. "Joiner!"

Cerberus went to snap the teenager right out of the air, only to find itself unable to open its mouth. Giving a pained whimper, the left head looked over at the others pathetically as Daxtin landed on the ground below, chuckling at the sight.

"Don't let your guard down!" shouted Rann, finally wrestling his weapon away from the beast. As Daxtin looked up from his laughter, he found the dog lunging at him with all three heads. As he jumped up out of the way, the two outer heads came crashing together, sandwiching him between them. As he struggled to keep them from crushing him, he saw the center set of fangs draw back, preparing to bite him in half. Raising back its head, jaws apart, Daxtin could only watch as he struggled in vain to escape the lock he was in.

Then suddenly, a flash of steel came flying past him as the dog brought its head down. Yelping in surprise and pain, Cerberus found its jaws jammed open by the gunblade wedged between its teeth. Taking advantage of its confusion, Daxtin squirmed up and managed to get out from between the two heads, letting them smash into each other. While they were so stunned, he climbed up onto the center head with was still struggling with Rann's gunblade. Standing on the ends of its jaws, he grabbed the handle of the weapon, and just as it slipped out, jumped up out of the way of the three sets of snapping jaws, his previous binding haven been broken and all three heads regaining their bearings.

"You want to play, huh?" shouted Daxtin as he came to the height of his jump, gunblade raised overhead. Swinging it a couple times, he spun in midair before throwing it back down, spinning a flurry of blue-green flames that exploded as it hit the monstrous hound. But he wasn't done: pulling out the aura blades, he spun them once in hand before shooting down, bringing them down on the stunned black dog in a powerful overhead cut, gouts of flame shooting up upon impact. "Hell Breaker!"

There was a huge explosion of fire and smoke, and then Daxtin came flying backwards out of the cloud of dust, skidding to a halt hard on his feet next to Rann. The brunette swordsman didn't even glance his way, but reached up a hand and plucked his flying gunblade out of the air as it came hurling out of the destruction. Wary, the pair watched as the dust cleared.  
There, standing tall, was the three headed dog, looking as angry as ever. However, when Cerberus took a single step forwards, it stumbled, wobbled a little, then fell over, flat on its three faces and out cold.

"You did it!" shouted Orpheus, running up while waving his instrument enthusiastically. "You really defeated Cerberus! I, I had my doubts, but you two really are amazing. This will make a _great_ story."

"Ha hah, that's nice," said Daxtin with a sigh. Now that Orpheus's song was over, he was starting to feel less like the sun and more like a burnt out light bulb. "That's all, right?"

"Yes, my guardian should be just inside those doors," replied the musician, pointing to the huge gates that Cerberus had been guarding.

"Then let's go," said Rann, leading the way.

* * *

Inside was a large circular chamber, dimly lit by several candelabras with eerie blue flames and a sparse swarm of pyreflies that drifted lazily about. In the center stood a tall man in a large red coat with a high collar that covered the lower half of his face. He had short black hair, streaked with gray, and his eyes were hidden behind black sunglasses. An enormous sword, easily five feet from tip to handle, was stuck in the ground next to him. He made no reaction as they came into the chamber. 

"Auron!" shouted Orpheus, running up to him.

"Is this your guardian?" asked Daxtin as he and Rann followed.

"Yes, this is Auron, the greatest hero I've ever met," said the musician as he came to a stop next to the still unmoving man.

"I'm no hero," breathed Auron, barely even stirring. It was hard to see where he was looking, or if his eyes were even open, with the shades he wore.

"…whatever. Let's just go already, before Hades turns up," said Rann. However, as they made to go, they noticed that the solemn guardian hadn't moved an inch.

"Auron, come on," pleaded Orpheus.

"I… cannot leave," he said haltingly.

"I don't see why not," said Daxtin, walking up as Orpheus backed away. "No chains, nothing. We beat Cerberus even. Is there some spell holding you?"

"No."

"Then let's get a move on," said Rann, impatience tingeing his voice as he came back around.

"I cannot go."

"Why not?" demanded Daxtin, also losing his patience.

"Because," said an unfamiliar, taunting voice. "If he leaves, he'll never get his memories back." Turning, the pair found themselves face to face with a tall, thin faced man with a sharp nose, cruel smile, narrowed yellow eyes and blue fire for hair. The demonic figure was wearing a black toga, but more importantly had Orpheus by the neck in one bony hand, tossing away the broken remains of his lute with the other. "Capiche?"

"Let him go, Hades," said Auron in measured tone.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever," said the Lord of the Underworld with a shrug, tossing Orpheus aside like rag-doll. The young man went flying, slamming hard into the wall and crumpling on the ground. "Little sunspot 2.0, newest hassle in my life, and oh-so-unfortunately untouchable by death. I know I can't have him. You two, on the other hand," he muttered viciously, turning his attention towards Rann and Daxtin, "are fair game, now, aren't you?"

"Go now," said Auron urgently to them.

"We're not just going to leave you!" shouted Daxtin back at him.

"Leave me and go," commanded the guardian.

"Hey, you heard the man," said Hades snidely. "Leave him. Leave me. Get your little butts out of here."

"You said something about his memories before?" asked Rann.

"Did I?" he sneered, cleaning an ear with a long pointy finger nonchalantly. "I… wouldn't say it's anything important. I'm just holding the guy's memories hostage so that he has to stay here in eternal imprisonment and torture. Nothing you'd care about."

"Give them back!" yelled Daxtin, Joiner and Divider appearing in his hands.

"Oh, well since you asked _so_ nicely," started Hades, "I'm thinking, hmmm, _no_."

"Then we'll fight you for them," said Rann calmly, also drawing his sword.

"Fight? You want to fight me?" sputtered the flaming-haired lord incredulously, turning to leave, fingers in his ears. "Ridiculous. I'm not even listening."

"What's the matter, Hades, scared?" Daxtin called tauntingly.

"That's _Lord_ Hades to you, boy!" he roared, turning around, the fire atop his head spreading down his neck and arms into an inferno. "And _you_ have just crossed the line!"

At this, Hades erupted in a burst of fire, his skin and flames going from a cool blue to a raging red, burning hot with his fury. Daxtin and Rann backed away cautiously from him, though Auron remained stoically in place.

"Have a taste of this!" shouted Hades, a large, swirling ball of flame forming above his palm. Turning to Daxtin, he threw the burning projectile straight at him, the fire crackling hungrily. The boy dodged to one side, the flames licking at the edges of his white coat as he barely got out of the way.

Taking advantage of Hades' concentration on Daxtin, Rann charged in with his gunblade, lashing out at the fiery man. Before Hades could even react, he was bringing it down into the flames. But then nothing happened. The sword just bounced off him, like it was a toy. Hades only grinned at his surprise and lashed out with one burning hand, raking the air with long flaming gashes as he sent the warrior flying back.

"Hey, Hades! Take this!" shouted Daxtin, charging in. He threw Divider at him, but it too had no effect, even when the boy grabbed it again and attacked him in a series of slashes. He gave a grunt of pain as Hades blew him away with an almost negligent burst of fire. "Why can't we hurt him?"

"Because, it's _my_ Underworld," drawled the red-skinned menace in a bored voice, absently picking at his fingernails. "And here, _heroes_ are _zeros_! Isn't that fun?"

"Then maybe… they don't need a hero."

"What?" sputtered Hades. He looked up suddenly, only see Auron flying through the air at him, one arm hanging out of his coat's front, the other holding his giant blade above him. Before the Lord of the Underworld could move out of the way, he came down on him, bringing his blade down in a crushing blow that exploded in a flash of arcane runes and red-black smoke. Hades went flying back, his red flames going up in puffs of smoke as he returned to his blue-skinned self. "Prisoner! What are you _doing_?"

"I may not remember much," said Auron, standing straight, his blade held out to one side, "but I know this: this is _my_ story. And you're not a part of it."

As he said this, he pulled his other arm out of his coat, letting the un-sleeved side fall to the belt at his waist, revealing the black breastplate he wore underneath as he took his sword in both hands.

"That's _it_!" bellowed Hades angrily. "You're all _fired_!"

Throwing his hands forwards, streams of flame came pouring out at them. Before it could reach them, however, a black blade with inset orb went flying ahead. The fires parted as they hit Divider, the burning inferno going to either side of them. Rann leapt over the still flowing fires, gunblade raised high. He came down, bringing his blade down hard and forcing Hades to break of his attack to block with flaming claws. However, this was just the opening Auron needed. Charging in, the guardian slashed at him with his giant sword, sending the Lord of the Underworld stumbling with each strike. Finally, knocking him away with a powerful uppercut, Auron held his blade to one side, concentrating.

The air in the room suddenly whipped into a frenzy, the wind winding down around Auron and his blade until he was the center of a swirling tornado. Then, giving one mighty swing, he sent the cyclone charging at Hades, who was just recovering. It hit him with full force, sucking him into its deadly embrace and tossing him about wildly. Calmly, Auron just watched from behind his shades and pulled up a large jug of _saké _from where it hung at his belt before taking a long swig. Pausing, he then threw the jug into the whirling tornado.

It exploded on impact with the rushing winds and the whole thing went up in flames.

When the fire cyclone finally subsided, it left Hades, worn and beaten, lying on the chamber floor, struggling to get to his feet. However, he only managed to onto his elbows when he found the length of one of Daxtin's aura blades at his throat.

"Give back Auron's memories," he said menacingly.

"You know what? Funny thing," said Hades with a weak smile. There was a sound like the crack of a whip and a sudden puff of smoke, and Hades was gone, only to reappear in a similar gray cloud at the entrance to the chamber. "I don't actually have his memories. That was all just a hoax that made the whole deal sweeter: Auron, one of my eternal enemies, trapped in the underworld by his own free will because he wants the memories that _I don't even have_. Hah! What a sucker. Ciao!"

Giving one last cackle, he snapped his fingers and was gone.

Daxtin paused to make sure he was really gone, and then ran over to where Orpheus was leaned up against the wall.

"Hey, are you all right?" he asked.

"No, I wish I could _die_," moaned the musician, throwing an arm over his face dramatically. "My poor _lute_, that monster absolutely _ruined_ it. Do you know how _hard_ it is to find quality craftsmanship like that these days? They really _don't_ make things like they used to."

"He sounds fine to me," concluded Rann as Daxtin pulled him to his feet. The brunette turned his hard-eyed gaze to Auron then. "And what about you?"

"What about me?" said Auron flatly.

"Well, I mean, your memories," said Daxtin. "Hades didn't have them, so what are you going to do?"

"It… occurs to me that memories are really a paltry thing," he replied. "They are but fetters that chain our hearts to the past. I became ensnared in that very trap here, and I plan not to again."

"But where you came from and what you've done shape who you are," said Rann.

"Yeah, what about your friends? What if you forgot them?" worried Daxtin.

"Oh, come on, you can't forget important things like _that_," said Orpheus, ever the optimist. "We may not always be able to recall them when we want to, but we'll never _truly_ lose the important memories engraved in our hearts."

"I hope you're right," said Daxtin doubtfully.

"Of course I'm right," said Orpheus. "Besides, we can look for Auron's memories as I travel the world, spreading my new ballad about how I daringly rescued him from Hades' clutch."

"How _you_ rescued him?" demanded the boy. "What about _us_?"

"Well… I guess I could spare a line or two about you," Orpheus said, pretending to think about it. "What do you think, Auron?"

"I suppose they deserve a bit of thanks," said the guardian, "for meddling."

"What did you say?" burst Daxtin angrily.

"Let it go," said Rann with a thin smile, grabbing the boy by the collar.

"But Auron, nothing _rhymes_ with 'meddlers'," complained Orpheus plaintively.

They all laughed. Even Auron chuckled a little.

* * *

"This castle is downright exhausting," moaned Daxtin as they left the white room. "What floor is this?" 

"We're on the 5th floor, and the stairs are just ahead," said Rann.

"How big _is_ this place?" he asked.

"Thirteen floors," said a familiar voice. "So only eight more to go. Make it to the 13th, and you get to meet someone special." There was a sudden swirl of darkness at the foot of the stairs, and then the red-headed Sam was standing there, grinning cockily at them.

"Who do you mean?" demanded Daxtin, drawing his aura blades.

"Oh, I don't know," she said teasingly. "You've been thinking about her _all_ this time and you still don't know who she is?"

"You mean _her_!" he said excitedly. "The girl, the one I remembered!"

"Don't you even know her name?" she said with a smirk. "For being a Nobody, you're really pretty heartless."

"But she's here? She's here, isn't she?" Daxtin continued, eyes wide with anticipation.

"Very clever," she said dryly. "Yes, she's here. The poor girl, captured by the bad guys. You have to be a good little hero and rescue her. After all, it's your fault that they caught her."

"I… dragged her into this?" he said in a stunned voice.

"Exactly," she grinned. "Only there's one problem."

Daxtin and Rann went flying when, without warning, she lunged forwards, punching with a power that exploded before them with concussive force.

"My sisters and I _are_ the bad guys!" she said viciously.

Daxtin and Rann dodged to each side as she sped forwards again, the air rippling with the force of her punches. Rann turned about first, charging back in as she recovered from the recoil. Lashing out with his gunblade, he watched in frustration as she jumped out of the way, blocking his next few swings with the metal plates on the backs of her battle gloves. Giving a grin, Sam retaliated, flinging his blade out of the way and ducking in close, giving several punches to the gut before spinning and sending him flying with a roundhouse kick.

Then Daxtin came in, aura blades swinging. Matching her blow for blow, his two blades against her two fists, Daxtin pressed the attack, pushing her back before finally giving a large, open swing, flinging her back from him. Taking advantage of the distance, he began throwing the aura blades at her in rapid succession, each blow ricocheting of the hallway walls and slamming into her from different angles so that she couldn't effectively defend. While she was so distracted, Rann came up behind her. Unable to get close in the flurry of blades, he instead sent a large fireball flying her way. The burning projectile slammed into her unprotected back, sending her flying down the hall towards the stairs.

"Not bad," said Sam, executing a flip in mid air and coming to a skidding halt on her feet. "Do you remember her name yet?"

"No," Daxtin admitted, grinding his teeth in frustration.

"Then maybe I need to push it a little harder!" she laughed. "_Accelerate_!"

And with that, she practically disappeared, coming to a halt right in front of the boy, a malicious grin on her face. Before he could react, she punch him several times in rapid succession, all in the stomach, knocking the wind from him and sending him flying a few feet into the air. As Rann struck out at her with the Gunblade, she dodged easily to the side, the air where she had just been exploding with the bullet he shot.

"Let's see you bind my feet to the floor now!" taunted Sam as she ran around them, getting in quick hits here and there and easily evading their attempts to retaliate.

"Divider!" shouted Daxtin, raising the black aura blade aloft. Swinging it over his head, a ray of light shot from the end. Where ever the laser touched, the floor broke apart like in an earthquake, the white stone breaking up in jagged chunks. The rubble and debris was too uneven, and Sam, in her accelerated state, tripped over the sudden obstacles, and was sent tumbling through the air. "How about that, huh?"

"Clever, kid," she said, righting herself before landing in a crouch before the doors to the White Room they'd left, "but not good enough!"

She sprung forwards with amazing speed and force, shooting right past Rann before the man could react and going straight towards Daxtin. The teenager had no time to block before she rammed into him, grabbing him by the shoulders. And then suddenly, the world spun upside down as she flipped in the air with him, throwing him head over heels until she finally slammed him into the cold, hard floor, jumping off his chest and leaving him breathless and dizzy as she landed in front of the stairs once more.

As he lay on the ground, unable to move, he could only stare blearily at the white ceiling as something drifted down towards him. It was a piece of paper, folded in quarters, that must have fallen out of his coat in the tumble.

"Is that… mine?" he managed to gasp as it fell to the ground next to him.

"You've been carrying it all this time and you don't even recognize it?" said Sam incredulously. "I know Castle Oblivion's supposed to make you forget, but you're really a wreck."

"What… is it?" he muttered, propping himself up on his elbows as he looked uncomprehendingly at the folded piece of paper. Reaching over, he picked it up and unfolded it. "It's… a drawing."

"Very good," cooed Sam sarcastically.

Daxtin ignored her taunts and stared at it, trying to make sense of it even as his head still ached and his ears still rung from being tossed about. It was a hand drawn picture of a boy and a girl, standing at a beach, watching the sun set over the ocean. They were holding hands, and even though they had their backs to the viewer, he could tell that the boy was supposed to be him. And the girl was…

"That's… that's her," he worked out blearily as Rann came over to where he was.

"That's right," said Sam with a grin. "She's the one that drew you this cheesy picture so you wouldn't forget her. Fat lot of good that did, if you can't remember her name even. Or do you?"

"Her name is… is…" he muttered. He could feel it, it was right on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't spit it out.

"That's right, free the memory from your heart," she said encouragingly, her eyes alight. "Let all those other useless memories peel away, and let the true memories below come forth."

"Na…na…mi…" he mumbled, still working it out.

Sam only chuckled a little, looking on with anticipation.

"Nami… Naminé…" he finally said. "Naminé drew this for me."

"Well that sure took long enough," she said ruefully. "In fact, if you don't hurry, it may not even matter that you remembered her. Remember that she's in danger because of _you_."

Daxtin flinched at this accusation.

"Now be a good little hero and run to the rescue," she said patronizingly. "See ya."

There was a swirl of darkness, and then it was just the two of them.


	9. Mirror

Busy: Update frequency (though it's never been uniform) may be slowing down; I've got a part-time job this past week and the next, and the week after I'm going on vacation. Also, I should be picking up the games Odin Sphere and Luminous arc soon.

* * *

Chapter 8: Mirror

* * *

"What is this place?" asked Anya as they stepped through the gateway. 

"Hey, it's Rabanastre," said Diant fondly, his foul mood from fighting Luciella lightening as he looked about. All around them were high stone buildings in terra-cotta color with a variety of hangings and decorations. The flagstone street was lined with the colorful stands of vendors, electric lamps sticking up here and there along the way. Despite the warm sun and blue sky with the smallest of scudding clouds, no one was outside. In fact, it seemed no one was around at all. "Where is everyone?"

"I don't like this," murmured Anya, timidly looking around. There was no sound except the flapping of banners in the occasional breeze. It wasn't even just the people were gone; there were no rats or mice or other scavengers. It was like there was no life there.

"Neither do I," he replied. His brief levity was quickly fading. "This is based on my memories, right? Then where are all the people?"

"It's like they disappeared," said the dark girl, opening a door and looking inside. All down the streets, every shop and house was empty.

"Or like they were eaten," growled Diant, Joiner and Divider flashing into his hands.

"What?" exclaimed Anya, turning to face him, only to see what he meant. Despite the afternoon sun, pools of shadow were already coagulating on the street. Neo-shadows, upright, sapient versions of the basic Heartless shadow with longer limbs and trailing jagged antenna, were crawling out of these pools, as dark Heartless hounds, thin, bony black affairs, were stepping out of a series of portals that quickly opened and closed behind them as they filled the street.

Giving a yell, Diant charged into their midst, aura blades flashing in and out of the mass of Heartless. Running straight through, he struck out at the nearest Heartless before him before attacking the next, and the next, and the next, continually lunging for the nearest one with no regards to the ones he left behind, whether they were vanquished or still fighting. Anya, Shadow Lance in hand, cut away at the edge of the fray, only able to watch as Diant was slowly surrounded and engulfed by the swarming Heartless.

"Spira Arcanis!"

The mass of darkness exploded with sudden light, flashes of blue-green fire illuminating the neo-shadows and hellhounds. Diant stood in the center, the twin aura blades spinning around him in widening arcs, cutting a circle of devastation around the boy. As he raised his arms from his sides, the level of the blades followed as they continued to orbit around him, the Heartless they savaged inexorably drawn upwards with them.

"Sephiros Magna!" His arms above his head, the aura blades circled faster and faster before finally disappearing in a flash of light, replaced by a huge, swirling sphere of energy, a large number of Heartless caught within its slow rotations. Diant leapt into the air, the ball of power held above as it turned black, crackling with dark lightning. "Astralis Nigror!"

In one swift motion, he threw the darkly luminescent sphere into the crowd of Heartless below him, the crushing mass of it annihilating many of them. Joiner and Divider flashing to life in his hands, Diant dived down into the center of it.

"Finis!" As he crashed down into the center of it, the black star went supernova, exploding outwards in a flash of light. When the glow finally faded, the street was left empty except for him. Yet despite this, Diant's face was not triumphant, but quietly tragic.

As Anya approached him quietly, he only looked to the sky, a question on his lips.

"Is darkness all that awaits me in my memories?"

* * *

"What is this building?" asked Anya, looking about cautiously at the ornate decorations as they walked down the spacious hallway. 

"It's the royal palace," said Diant, hurrying along. "We're going to meet someone. I know he's here."

"But isn't the city empty?" she said. "All we've seen are Heartless."

"That's exactly why I know he's here," he replied shortly. They went up a grand staircase, fighting off the occasional Heartless along the way, and finally stopping at the top-most floor. Walking down the marble hallway, Anya looked around, half fearfully, half in awe at the rich decorations and large portraits. Diant, however, paid no attention to the surroundings, and only strode straight ahead, slamming his hands into the huge double doors at the end of the hall and shoving them open with unnecessary force, causing Anya to jump at the loud crash as the heavy, gold-embossed doors slammed into the walls of the room inside with enough force to crack the marble sheathing. The room's sole occupant, however, was not so jumpy and merely stood there looking out through the windows at the empty city below.

"Well, well, if it isn't Diant," murmured the man. He was wearing full-plate armor, covered in polished metal from neck to toe, though at the moment, his back was concealed by the long red cape that hung from his shoulders. He had short, curly brown hair, and as he turned, he revealed the pointed, bony face of a man well into his thirties, with narrowed brown eyes and with sardonic sneer over a short goatee.

"Valentine," the boy hissed angrily.

"That's _Judge_ Valentine to you, whelp," said the man, annoyance tingeing his voice. "Show some respect to your betters."

"I will," said Diant agreeably. Then he grinned, and added, "when I see them."

"You laugh now, boy," said Valentine, "and you see me as someone who died pursuing darkness. You think I was a fool. But _who_ was the one who looked at me with awe? Who secretly harbored envy of my power? Who later, as Ansem's pawn, ravenously devoured my research on the darkness? I am your predecessor, one of many models that guided you in your descent into darkness. You have no right to look down on me like that."

"Shut up," barked Diant. "I gave up the darkness. I'm whole, not some damn Heartless!" He didn't notice Anya flinch behind him as he yelled that. "I rid myself of my shadows."

"Did you really, boy?" asked the Judge with a sneer. "You cast away your home, your family, your friends, all in your lust for power, and filled yourself with darkness."

"But I gave that up," he replied angrily.

"Then I guess you have nothing," concluded Valentine. "Your Heart is empty, but for that lasting stain of darkness, for which you still secretly hunger. That is why you couldn't stay with your friends. That is why you're here."

"I don't want any more darkness in my life," he said, raising his voice.

"Then why do you travel with one such as her?" Valentine challenged, turning his attention to Anya for the first time, causing the girl to shrink back behind Diant. When he didn't answer, the Judge laughed, a short barking thing. "You pretend to be of the light, but you're just an empty shell who attracts nothing but Heartless with your broken heart."

"I don't have to listen to this," yelled Diant, his aura blades appearing in hand.

"Of course you do!" roared Valentine, his face suddenly twisting in fury. "I am your better and I always have been! Without the hero of the keyblade, you are nothing. You will submit to my will and know that darkness is the only true strength!"

"Prove it!" Diant shouted back, charging at him. As he ran across the room, Valentine drew a large, double-bladed sword from atop his desk before giving the desk a powerful kick with his armored boot, sending it sliding across the granite floor at Diant. The boy used the black aura blade to smash through the oncoming furniture, and then the white blade to grab large chunks of broken wood and send the splintered shards flying back at the Judge. Valentine easily blocked, but it was enough of a distraction for Diant to close in and start attacking, putting him on the defensive as the boy swung relentlessly with Joiner and Divider. However, he was attacking too recklessly, and taking advantage of an opening, Valentine swung an armored leg into his side, sending Diant flying and sliding across the polished floor.

It was then that Anya attacked, Shadow Lance swinging. Valentine must have forgotten her presence, as he was taken completely off guard, the dark spear cutting a line of black right across his torso and sending him stumbling. He managed to stay on his feet, quickly bringing his large sword up to defend, but the damage had been done; a large rent in his armor revealed a bloody gash across his chest. He lunged towards the girl, swinging his blade in a double-handed strike, but she blocked with her lance before leaping nimbly backwards, outpacing his long reach with superior agility, unhindered by heavy armor as he was. Before he could even try to continue pursuit though, Diant was upon him once more.

"Your fight's with me, Valentine!" he shouted, leaping through the air at him. The armored Judge turned and blocked, using the weight of his weapon to knock him back.

"That's _Judge_ Valentine!" he roared, the air about him rumbling. Dark smoke began to trail of him, and his burnished silver armor slowly turned dark as he became shrouded in shadows, his eyes filled with blackest rage. Holding a hand out, he shouted once and shadows poured from his open palm, dark tendrils flying through the air towards Diant. The boy prepared to block, but he knew that the aura blades could not stop all the shadows as the room grew dark with them.

And then Anya was there, arm out in mirror to Valentine's casting, and the shadows swirled before her, draining into her palm like a dark vortex. When the last of darkness left the judge, it quickly disappeared into the small, concentrated ball of shadows in her palm. As the last trickle of darkness fell into it, she suddenly slumped forwards, head hanging down, one arm holding the Shadow Lance down and out, the other with its fingers curled around the dark sphere she had created. Then she looked up, and Valentine flinched; gone were the timid eyes of the girl that had hid behind Diant. Now they were pools of darkness within her pale, pale face, only broken by the pinpricks of light in their centers surrounded by radiating lines. Before he knew it, she was right in front of him, and her hand was slamming the ball of shadows into his chest. He gasped in pain as he felt his bones break, and then he was sent flying across the room, not stopping until he slammed hard into the wall. Somehow, he managed to stay on his feet, and eyes slightly unfocused but still full of rage, he went into a clanking, stumbling charge, double-bladed sword raised high to cleave down the girl who had struck him.

Diant was faster.

Diving past Anya, he rolled once on the floor before springing up under Valentine's range, the man's overhead swing going right past him and into the floor. Shouldering him roughly in the chest, Diant sent the Judge sprawling, his gauntleted hands releasing his weapon. In a few quick strikes, he knocked Valentine to the floor, and then his blade was to his throat.

"What was that about being my better?" he said challengingly. "You've lost."

"But you still had to rely on the darkness," coughed Valentine, giving a significant glance in Anya's direction. "You're just as weak as you've always been, boy." He smiled at Diant's frustrated glare. "You cannot escape your destiny. You are a creature of the dark, and that is all your memories, your dreams, and your life will be filled with." Bleeding, dying, maimed and beaten, Valentine start laughing, long and mocking.

Diant brought up his blade in anger, prepared to end him right then and there when a small gasp stopped him. Looking, he saw Anya, no longer armed or enshrouded in darkness, looking at him with fearful eyes. Fear of him.

Dismissing his weapons, Diant turned away in frustration, striding past the girl and out the doors into the empty hallway, Valentine's mocking laughter following him the whole way. It was not until they left the palace that they escaped his laughter, and only then because they had left the White Room.

* * *

Diant was so enraged and busy stalking away from his memories that it was not until he heard Anya's gasp that he looked where he was going and saw what was before him. At first he was sure he was seeing things, then that it was an illusion. But no matter how he blinked or rubbed his eyes, the image didn't change. 

"What the hell are you supposed to be?" he asked rudely to the approaching figure.

"What does it look like? I'm Diant," said the boy as he came to a stop. Sure enough, the same blue eyes stared at him with the same mess of spiky, dirty-blonde hair with a ponytail in the back. He even wore the same white T-shirt, same short jacket and pants. He even had on an arrogant grin that Diant was familiar with.

"Diant, what's going on?" asked Anya in a worried tone, pulling close to him as she stared cautiously at his mirror image.

"I'd like to know that myself," he growled angrily, before shouting, "What are you?"

"Calm down," said the other Diant, a condescending look on his face. "I'm a construct, a replica made by Luciella, made using your data and a shadow-doll base. I'm exactly like you."

"A puppet, huh?" mused Diant, quickly regaining is composure. "So you're a fake."

"I _didn't_ say _fake_," hissed the replica furiously, his arrogance disappearing in flash of anger. "Just because you're the real Diant…"

"If I'm the _real_ Diant, then that makes you the fake," shot back Diant, grinning viciously. He had found a way to release some of his pent up frustration from dealing with Valentine.

"Shut up!" yelled the other Diant. "We're exactly the same!"

"Yeah, except I'm real and you're fake," said the real Diant, chuckling a little.

"Whatever, Real Thing," growled the replica, reining his temper back under control. He smirked then, a little of Diant's cruelty mirrored in his eyes. "Well, we do differ in one way. I'm not afraid of _anything_."

"Are you calling me a coward?" asked Diant, the smile sliding off his face instantly.

"Of course I am," sneered the other. Now it was his turn to laugh. "A weakling, an empty shell afraid of the dark."

"I'm not afraid of the dark!" he shouted back angrily.

"Then why does your pulse quicken every time someone mentions it?" he asked. "Your pupils dilate, your heart speeds up, your muscles tense."

"I hate the darkness!"

"Then why do you spend time with people like her?" shouted the Diant Replica challengingly, pointing a finger at Anya.

"Leave her out of this!" yelled Diant, stepping in between her and his copy.

"Really, why are you so scared of something so wonderful?" mused the replica sardonically. "She knows the power of darkness… the exhilaration… the joy… Why can't you see it?"

"I've given that up," he growled.

"Then I'll destroy you, Real Thing," the replica laughed.

"I don't need the darkness to take care of a fake like you," replied Diant with a smirk, Joiner and Divider appearing in his hands.

"We'll see about that!" roared the replica, the same weapons appearing in his. However, that was not all that materialized. At the same time, darkness shot up around the construct, engulfing him in its embrace. In a flash of black, his clothes had been replaced with a skin tight covering of darkness, a suit of black sinews binding his body. A black heart, outlined in red stood out on his chest, contrasted against the dark blue plating down his front. Black tendrils of darkness spread from the edges, covering him from neck to toe. The muscle-like covering turned from black to red as they reached his hands. From his waist hung a white, shroud-like robe, frayed along the bottom edge. His feet were in heavy black boots with thick metal lining around their edges. It was a costume familiar to Diant. After all, he had worn it before.

As the replica charged, Anya moved to get involved, the Shadow Lance in her hand, but Diant moved an arm in her way.

"Stay out of this," he growled menacingly. "I'll win this without the darkness."

Giving a yell, he ran up to meet his double, and their blades clashed in white hall. They both struck with twin blades at the same time, their weapons bouncing away. Rather than trying to regain his balance with his weapons, Diant used the opening in both their defenses to charge forwards, recklessly slamming a shoulder into his dark other and sending him stumbling back. Continuing the assault, he brought both aura blades around over his head, slamming them down on the replica with an explosion of force. During the downswing, however, the other Diant managed to regain his foot and brought his own weapons swinging, hitting Diant in the side with both. Despite this, Diant managed to dodge back away from his next attack, countering swiftly with a quick slash that sent the dark one flying. The Diant Replica managed to land on his feet, then, dismissing one of the aura blades, brought a hand back, sinister blue-white fires gathering at his palm.

"Dark Firaga!" he shouted, before throwing his arm out and launching the fireball at Diant. The jacketed boy blocked with Joiner and Divider, the orbs inset in the weapons glowing hotly as they absorbed most of the impact. Then the construct was upon him, covering the ground between them with unearthly speed. As he attacked in continuous strikes, Diant could do nothing but block, Joiner and Divider glowing brighter and hotter with every impact. Then finally, there was the slightest of pauses in the assault.

Diant exploded forwards in a burst of power, darkness bursting forth from his hands, tendrils of red and black engulfing his arms. He struck out in quick succession, utterly crushing his doppelganger's defense and then sending him flying into the air. He leapt up after him, abandoning Joiner to hold the black aura blade in both hands.

"Nightsever!" he shouted. He tore past the replica in a devastating flash, the white halls of Castle Oblivion turning black for the shortest of moments, then returning to full light. Landing on the ground, his opponent still suspended in midair, Diant turned and aimed Divider at him. "Final Darkness!"

A beam of powerful darkness shot from the end of his weapon, piercing the body of his foe in a sharp impact before disappearing. Then there was a flash of light and the replica tumbled out of the air, hitting the ground hard.

"Had enough?" shouted Diant victoriously as he walked over to the defeated clone, who was struggling to rise.

"Yeah, laugh it up," growled his duplicate, struggling to his hands and knees. "I'm still new; I'll defeat you _easily_ next time we meet."

"Well that's too bad, because there won't _be_ a next time!" shouted Diant, raising his blades to take him out.

"Diant, no!" shouted Anya. Diant paused for the barest of moments, more out of surprise than compliance, but that was all that his replica needed.

There was a pulse of darkness that knocked him away, and by the time he had stumbled to his feet, his dark mirror was already back on his.

"That's the advantage of having darkness on your side," said the double with a grin. "I can't be taken out by weakling like you."

"I defeated you easily enough just a minute ago," growled Diant in frustration.

"With the help of your darkness, if you didn't notice," pointed out the replica. Diant looked down, noticing for the first time the dark tendrils that, although quickly receding, still encased his lower arms.

"No, not again," he muttered in horror, as if viewing some terrible disease. As he watched, the darkness shrank back, down his arms, over his hands, then finally underneath into the shadows of his palms as they still clutched the aura blades. He sighed in relief, but it was only partial; he knew that it was still there, lurking, waiting to be called.

"And _this_ is why I called you a coward," said the clone pityingly. "See you around, Real Thing."

A portal of darkness opened behind him and he stepped through, quickly disappearing as it closed right after him. Diant barely even noticed his exit; he was too busy staring at his hands, as if trying to discern the source of the taint, while Anya merely looked on, unsure of what to do or say.

* * *

There was a swirl of darkness, then Luciella, carrying her bunny, appeared, looking around in an unconcerned manner at those assembled. 

"Back so soon?" asked Sam disdainfully. "How was your 'data collection'?"

"Fine," she responded calmly, ignoring the mocking note in her sister's voice.

"How are the others doing down on their end?" asked Karie in curiosity.

"He's fooling around with the boy," replied Luciella, sitting down in a high-backed chair. "I don't see why he bothers; it's his Other that's _truly_ important." She paused and looked around. "Where's Mistress?"

"I think she's talking with Naminé," replied Sam in an offhand manner.

"Is she, now?" murmured the gothic sister to herself. She smirked, squeezing her stuffed rabbit to her chest. "Well, now may be the perfect time to test my follower."

"You mean you want to play with your newest toy," said the red head spitefully.

"Karie, what do you think?" asked Luciella, turning to the youngest sister.

"I'd like to see them fight," she said cheerily. "Where is he?"

"Here he is now," she said, turning. As she did, the Diant Replica, still in his Dark Form, walked up to them out of the shadows. "Hello, Diant. How was your meeting with the real Diant?"

"He's pathetic," laughed the replica, looking down at his creator with something like contempt. "I don't know what you see in him. I'll be running circles around him in no time."

"Yes, of course," she agreed with a patronizing smile. "But first, how would you like to meet another hero?"

"I only want to crush Diant," he asserted.

"Then you should enjoy this," said Sam with a vicious grin. "Daxtin is just another side of Diant. Think of it as a step on your way to defeating him."

"Is that so?" he said with a smile, intrigued. "Fine, let's see this Daxtin."

"Only after we apply this," said a smooth, silken voice. Turning, the four of them saw the voluptuous figure sitting in the previously empty throne. Their mistress was sitting there once more, a card held in her hand. With a lazy flick of her wrist, it flew across the room into Luciella's awaiting hand.

"Is this what I think it is?" she asked.

"Yes," answered the shadowy woman, "they're Diant's memories."

"Oh, look! We can put those in and you'll think you're the _real_ Diant," cooed Karie excitedly to the replica, who was looking panicked.

"Isn't that exciting?" drawled Sam with a smirk.

"What? I don't want to be like that weakling," he protested.

"Sounds interesting," cut in Luciella. "Have it done."

"What? Don't decide for me!" shouted Diant's clone.

"Oh, does the pawn think he has a say?" mocked Sam.

"Don't give me that crap!" he shouted, charging at her with the aura blades. With a flick of her wrist, she sent him sprawling.

"Hah, did you really think you can hurt me?" she laughed. "But don't worry. When we replace your memories, you won't remember me thrashing you so hard. Now come here."

"No…" he gasped in horror, struggling to get away. "Noooo!"


	10. The Dark Mistress

Ideas: I had a thought for a fiction story recently; I hope it doesn't distract me from this too much. Sorry about the wait; I was on vacation/working for the past few weeks. Hopefully I'll get another chapter done while babysitting my cousin this week.

* * *

Chapter 9: The Dark Mistress

* * *

"Come on, let's go!" shouted Daxtin as he ran up the steps, taking them two at a time. 

"Slow down, kid," said Rann, coming up behind him at a fast walk. "What's the hurry?"

"What's the hurry? _What's the hurry_?" he sputtered incredulously, turning on him as he came to the top. He looked down at the scarred warrior with an expression of utter disbelief. "You heard her. They have Naminé! We have to go rescue her!"

"Doesn't this seem suspicious, though?" asked Rann as his eyes came level with him.

"What do you mean?" said Daxtin, turning as Rann passed him.

"I mean it seems like a trap," he replied, stopping and glaring down at him. "She even told you to go rescue her. They _want_ you try and rescue her."

"What, are you suggesting we leave her?" shouted the boy. "It's my fault she's in this mess, we _have_ to do something!"

"Calm down," said Rann. "We need to think this through."

"Calm down? We can't wait, we have to go!" said Daxtin anxiously. Frustrated, he blurted out, "What would you do if it was Meili?"

For a moment Rann was silent. At the same time Daxtin felt both triumphant and scared; triumphant that he'd struck a nerve, but scared that he'd gone too far. He flinched as Rann reached out, grabbing the top of his head in an iron grip.

"First," said Rann stonily, giving Daxtin's head a shake, "I'd calm down." He sighed and released him with a little push. "Then I'd think it through. We can't just charge in blindly, got it?"

"Yeah," said Daxtin weakly, then with more conviction, "Yeah. You're right. Sorry, I got…"

"Don't worry about it. Just make sure you keep your head," said Rann, already walking off. Daxtin caught up with him as he reached the large double doors leading into the next White Room. "Losing your cool is a good way to lose your friends."

From the way he said it, Daxtin knew there was something more behind this, but seeing the determined hardness in Rann's eyes, he decided not to ask, and instead followed quietly into the next room.

* * *

The two of them came out into the evening air of a small town, their shoes padding across the cobblestones as they looked about at the mismatched houses and buildings. It was like an amalgam of all different styles of architecture, with wooden shack pushed up against classy hotel next to stone fountain and slanted roofs, all lit by the same metal lampposts. 

"It's like the leftovers of a dozen different worlds," said Daxtin, staring at a small shop set up against a neon-lit factory.

"That's because it is," replied Rann, apparently not impressed by the variety. "This is Traverse Town, a place where the remains of worlds the Heartless took come together. It's also where their survivors show up."

"So this is from your memory?" asked Daxtin.

"No," said the brunette. "The Traverse Town I knew was subtly different. Some of these buildings hadn't shown up yet. It must be from your Other's memories."

Daxtin wanted to ask more about when Rann had been in Traverse Town, but any further discussion was cut off by the familiar pooling of darkness in the still night air.

Shadows crawled up from off the ground as clanking tin soldiers, almost comical in nature, fell to the ground, twitching bizarrely before jumping at the pair. Daxtin cut down one of the soldiers before dodging back from a lunging shadow. Ducking under its swiping claws, he brought up Joiner in a swift upwards slash, decimating it instantly. Nearby, Rann cut a swathe through the dark mass, lighting the night air with sudden blasts of fire, both of the magic and gunpowder variety.

Daxtin jumped over a group of shadows, his white coat swirling around him as turned and attacked their backs. Taking care of the last few Heartless, Daxtin stood up straight, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Watch it!" called Rann from a little ways away. However, as Daxtin turned, there was no time to bring up his aura blades in guard to the shadow flying through the air at him.

The Heartless suddenly exploded in a flash of white fire, momentarily illuminating the square with its demise.

"Not bad, not bad at all," said a complacent voice. Down the street came striding a tall man in a blue coat and tan pants, his high collar and cuffs outlined in yellow. He had long, lank black hair and narrowed black eyes, and the easy grin on his face hidden by the collar and his gloved hands still smoking from the fireballs he had slung. "Usually my rescues take a little more effort, but you two seem able to handle yourselves."

"Who are you?" demanded Rann suspiciously.

"Name's Blaise," replied the mage, raising an eyebrow at the accusatory tone. "Y'know, it's polite to give your name first before you demand one."

"I'm Daxtin, and that's Rann," said the boy amiably, "We're, um, travelers."

"Aren't we all?" said Blaise philosophically. "I'm part of the Night Watch. How 'bout I introduce you to the gang? It's always interesting to meet someone can take care of Heartless like you two."

"Uh, sure," replied Daxtin, but Blaise had already set out, not even waiting for a response. Looking over at Rann, he gave a helpless look that only got a shrug as a reply.

* * *

"Yo, I'm back and I've brought guests!" said Blaise enthusiastically, his long hair swinging about wildly as he popped his head in the door. When no reply came, he stepped inside, looking about curiously. "Anybody? Hello?" 

As he stepped inside, Rann and Daxtin followed him in, looking about at the cluttered room. Overstuffed armchairs and teetering bookcases full of more than just books filled the room, piles of boxes, books and computer cases littered the way, a mess of junk that formed a nearly impassable labyrinth. The only light on was a flickering bulb in one corner, though more was pouring out from a doorway in the back.

"Helloooo?" called Blaise loudly. He was rewarded with a loud crash and the sound of an avalanche of falling metal parts.

"Owch, darnit… yes, I'm back here!" replied a female voice from the lit room in the back. Blaise gave them a waggle of his eyebrows before wading through the maze of junk, not particularly seeming to care as he knocked over one pile or another. Shooting Rann another helpless look, Daxtin waded in after the mage and into the back.

The back room wasn't any less cluttered than the front, though the junk was mostly made of computer bits and technical wares rather than armchairs and books. Seated in the center of it all in front of a large computer screen was a small, olive-skinned girl with slanting eyes behind large round glasses, her brown hair done in twin braids that trailed down her back. She was wearing a long sleeve red and yellow striped shirt with blue overalls that sported a number of electrical burns.

"Hey, Fa-li, where's everyone else?" asked Blaise, knocking over a tower of hard-drives and motherboards, much to the girl in question's dismay.

"Melkor and Danib are on patrol still, and Celia's still at Tyreal's place," she explained, swiveling on her stool to face them. She paused, suddenly noticing Rann and Daxtin for the first time. "Who are they?"

"A couple o' travelers, Rann and Daxtin," Blaise introduced them. "Saw them take out a whole mess of Heartless by themselves."

"Right. Well, my name's Fa-li," replied the technician. "I help keep this lot organized and… hold on…"

As she had been speaking, a flashing red light and very obnoxious alarm had gone off, disrupting the evening quiet. On screen, all kinds of warnings and charts were showing up. Fa-li turned back to them, quickly sorting out the various windows and schematics.

"What's up? What's going on?" asked Daxtin urgently.

"Heartless attack," replied Blaise off-handedly.

"More than just any Heartless attack," said Fa-li worriedly, typing away quickly. "This is big, huge, gigantic! I've never seen anything like it!"

"What? How many?" demanded the mage.

"It covers the whole screen, but… I think it's just one thing," she sputtered anxiously. "Like a giant cloud of darkness…"

"How are we supposed to fight that?" he asked.

"It's coalescing," said the girl, still typing frantically. "In the… the Second District!"

"That's where Melkor and Danib hang, we've got to help them out," said Blaise, suddenly serious. "Fa-li, contact Celia. You two, come with me!"

Before they could respond, he was out the door and it was all they could do to keep him in sight as they followed him to the Second District.

* * *

The stars were blotted out by a dark blanket of black clouds. A long twister of shadows was rising from the ground back into the sky, leaving behind two unconscious bodies. 

"Melkor, Danib!" shouted Blaise, running up to them, Daxtin and Rann coming up behind him.

"On your guard, it's coming back," said Rann, staring up at the clouds. Sure enough, the dark tornado was coming down again, the black clouds funneling into a single siphon until it hit the ground. Flagstones shattered and flew into the air as it touched down, scattering before the swirling darkness. The shadows fell from the sky, coalescing into a single point, a single figure.

The last of the shadows swirled away, and there he stood.

Covered in thin black armor, he stood, pale and tall, his mane of silky white hair whipping in the leftover winds. He gazed at them with red eyes, his hand curling around the black and crimson blade he held.

"Is he really a Heartless?" said Daxtin in disbelief.

"I am more than any mere shadow or emblem," he said disdainfully. "But yes, I am a heart bathed in darkness." He looked at them calmly before grinning widely. "I am a Worldslayer, one who devours the hearts of the worlds themselves. My name is Erion, and I have come to destroy this collection of sad remains."

"You'll have to go through us first," said Blaise, hands engulfed in pure white fire. He stepped the fore, staring out from between his lanky black locks at the Heartless.

"Your companions fell before me," said Erion. "What makes you think you will fare any better? Run, flee this place if you wish to live."

"I'd rather die protecting this town than run from the likes of you," growled the mage.

"Why do you fight so hard for this worthless pile of scrap?" asked the black knight.

"Because," replied Blaise, flinging a burning white blaze at the Heartless, "this is _our_ pile of scrap!"

The spot exploded in a pillar of fire, white hot and sparkling with magic. It cleared in a swirl of darkness, revealing Erion, unharmed with his sword held in front of him.

"Then I shall enjoy destroying you," he said before launching his attack. He lunged forwards, darkness streaming from his black armor and his sword. More explosions of white fire burst against his armor before Blaise was forced to jump out of the way. A slash of his sword sent an arc of darkness flying through the air at Daxtin and Rann, who jumped out of the way as Blaise sent in another volley of fireballs.

Erion deflected the blasts with his blade, blowing them away with a swipe of his sword that shook the air. He lunged towards the mage, only to meet Rann's steel blade. His quick strikes were parried by the gunbladier's solid defenses, but the brunette was unprepared when the shadow knight struck with an unbalancing strike, taking advantage of the gap in both their defenses to send a burst of black fire at him, sending him rolling across the flagstones.

"Taste some of this!" shouted Blaise, skidding to a halt between the Heartless and the downed warrior. "White Lightning!"

A pulse of white hot electricity shot from the mage's fingertips, crackling across the intervening gap before striking the Worldslayer in the middle of his forehead, piercing his head cleanly and coming out the other side. In a flash, it was gone, and the black armored body stood there, head lolling upwards with smoke trailing from the wound.

"Is that… it?" asked Daxtin cautiously. Blaise only stared warily at the smoking figure.

"It will take more than that to finish one such as I," said Erion grimly, his mouth wide, displaying pointed teeth. The smoke from his wound had slowly turned black and now was pouring from his mouth also. His head flipped forwards, once again facing them, but it was not the same as before. His pale skin was now shadow dark, the same as his armor, as was his hair which drifted hazily about his head. Black smoke, vaporized shadows, poured upwards from the corners of his jagged, grinning mouth and the wound in his head, which was quickly healing, as well as subliming directly off his armor in a dark aura. "It's been a long time since I've had to use my Dark Form… you truly are an interesting group. Devouring your hearts will be an exquisite treat."

"Just try it!" yelled Blaise, flinging more white fireballs at him. The black knight came tearing out of the explosions at him, sword slicing right through his attacks as he closed in on the mage. In one shadowy slash he sent Blaise flying before knocking Rann back to the ground with another blow.

"Blaise! Rann!" shouted Daxtin as the two hit the ground. Turning his anger on the Heartless, he began spinning the aura blades in his hands, the orbs inset in the ends glowing hot blue-green. Giving one final spin, he swung Divider skywards, launching a burst of blue-green fire into the night sky. Then, charging towards Erion, he swung Joiner, sending the other ball of flame at him. "Morning Star!"

The sudden projectile attack took the knight off-guard and struck him full in the chest, exploding in a burst of blue-green flame. As this happened, Daxtin aimed the black aura blade skywards again, then brought it down in a final, chopping motion.

"Evening Star!" he shouted. The first ball of fire came plunging down from the night sky, slamming into the dark knight and engulfing him in fire. The flames grew for a moment, then exploded outwards in a burst of light so bright that Daxtin had to cover his eyes. Opening them, he could only see a burning black figure remained.

But then Erion came bursting out of the flames, still engulfed in shadows, eyes still glowing red, blue-green flames trailing from his armor as he shot forwards. In one vicious upwards slash, he sent Daxtin sprawling, the aura blades flying from his hands helplessly as he hit the ground.

"A good effort," said Erion snidely, the shadows dispersing from his form to once again reveal the refined pale features of his face, "but this is it. You cannot defeat me; you have already reached your limit."

"Then what if," started Rann, getting to his feet, "we break those limits?"

"What?" hissed Erion, turning a furious face on him.

Rann's gunblade began glowing as he raised it over his head. In a burst of power, the blade extended, its steely length obscured beneath the crystal glow of the energy blade that had enveloped it. Charging forwards, he slashed at the dark knight, the blade exploding on contact in a burst of flame and magic. Erion went flying backwards and skidding across the flagstones, sparks flying where his armor careened off the ground. Before he could get up, Rann was upon him, flagstones flying up as he dragged his blade along the ground. The warrior hit the Heartless with a powerful upwards slash, launching him into the air. Jumping up after him, he attacked with a powerful set of slashes, each one exploding with a bullet expertly shot in time with the cuts. In one final blow, he sent the Heartless knight slamming back to the ground, landing on him with a last slash before jumping away as the spot exploded.

"You filthy humans," hissed Erion, stumbling out of the flames. His white hair was disheveled, his armor dented and scarred, his face sullied and his eyes crazed. As he limped towards them, his sword fell from his hands, clanking once against the ground before disintegrating into darkness. "This isn't the last you've seen of me!"

In a swirl of darkness he disappeared, dark clouds once more filling the sky before dispersing, once again revealing the stars.

* * *

"Well, good thing we never will see him again," said Daxtin as they walked out of the White Room. 

"…whatever," muttered Rann, looking about. He stopped so suddenly, Daxtin almost ran into him. When the boy stepped around him to look, he froze also when he saw what it was.

"Well, look who it is," said an arrogant voice. Diant, clad in his long-sleeve jacket and sneering at them, came walking down the stairs into the hall. "My favorite Nobody."

"Diant! What are you doing here?" exclaimed Daxtin in surprise.

"I could ask you the same thing," he replied. Then he smacked his forehead with his palm in mock epiphany. "Oh, that's right, you're just following me because that's all you can do, be a hollow imitation of me. Tch, figures."

"Diant…" said Daxtin. He was so confused. Hadn't they fought No Heart together? Hadn't they truly united as one in intent and will? Then why were they clashing now? "Diant, I thought…"

"Well, you thought wrong!" shouted the other boy. "I don't want to be your friend, I don't want to be _you._ I just want you gone; you're an empty husk, just an eyesore and a reminder of the past. You shouldn't even exist."

"How can you say that?" demanded Daxtin, hurt.

"What, did I hurt your feelings?" sneered his Other. "How can I? You don't even have a heart. You're just a Nobody. Get out of my sight."

"I won't go," he said firmly.

"Why, do you _like_ making everyone else miserable? I'm not the only one who doesn't want to see you," said Diant.

"What do you mean?" asked Daxtin, caught off guard.

"I mean Naminé," he replied.

"You know her?"

"Of course I know her!" shouted Diant angrily. "I know her like you never could! Do you really think she was friends with you? It was me she was friends with! You're just chasing a sad reflection of my own experiences!" He paused then, breathing hard. Slowly he composed himself, and when he looked Daxtin in the eyes, it was with cold, dead anger. "And if you insist on trying to find Naminé, I'll have to force you to go."

Shadows suddenly pooled at his feet, and then shot up around in a storm of swirling darkness, engulfing Diant's form. When it dispersed, it revealed him wearing a black suit, seemingly made from woven darkness, a large black heart outlined in red against the blue plating down his chest. Fully engulfed in his Dark Form, Diant held his palms out at his sides, white-blue flames gathering in his hands.

"Take this!" he shouted, spinning and launching both Dark Firagas, one at Daxtin and one at Rann. Daxtin dodged out of the way while the gunbladier merely swatted the flaming projectile out of the air with his gunblade. Then Diant was charging forwards, aura blades in hand. He leapt at Daxtin, spinning in midair with his blades swinging in quick arcs and slamming into him before he could bring up any defense. Soaring past his Nobody, Diant hit the ground and immediately sprang at Rann. Instead of meeting the man's blade head on, he brought his aura blades against it and slid to the side, sliding past his guard then turning as he went behind and attacking him from the back.

Rann stumbled, and then managed to block his next strike, counterattacking powerfully with the gunblade then lobbing a fireball at the boy. The darkness-enshrouded Diant blocked with Joiner before throwing Divider at him. Waves of darkness came of the blade as it spun through the air, only to be struck down by Daxtin as he stepped in. Moving deliberately, the blonde parried his Other's single strikes with his twin blades, careful to leave no openings. However, as Diant faked changing target to Rann, he momentarily let down his guard in surprise. It was enough time for Diant to return direction to Daxtin, barreling into his Nobody with a shoulder to knock him off balance as he leapt across the hall, rolling on the floor and picking up his lost blade. Once again armed with both blades, the dark Diant charged in at them again. Swinging both blades in his hands, he threw both at them.

"Dark!" he yelled, extending his arms after the flying blades. The two aura blades burst into churning masses of shadows, combining together into a singular wave of darkness flowing down the hall towards Daxtin and Rann.

"Void!" said Daxtin, bringing up his own aura blades. Where they crossed, a vacuum formed, sucking in the air before him. The wave of darkness crashed into the growing vortex, struggling against the spinning force before slowly being siphoned in by its empty power. Finally, the last of the shadows vanished into the void, and as that closed, the orbs inset into the blades grew bright. Charging the now unarmed Diant, he threw the powered up blades at him. "Netherstorm!"

Joiner and Divider unleashed their pent up energy in a storm of power, engulfing and encircling the Dark Diant in a whirlwind of slashing strength. Then Daxtin was there, and deftly picked the twin blades out of the miniature hurricane they created, and then he was past him in a powerful cross-slash.

"Breaker!" he shouted, and the storm behind him exploded. As he turned, he saw Diant was still standing, but only just. "Diant, I don't want to fight you."

"Shut up!" he yelled, charging another Dark Firaga in his hand. Before he could finish though, Rann attacked, striking out with his steely gunblade. Diant blurred in a sudden pulse of darkness, then was gone, reappearing down the hall near the stairs up. "This isn't over. I won't let you see Naminé."

Then he turned and ran up stairs, until the echo of his boots on the polished white floor faded in the distance.

"What was that about?" asked Daxtin, his previous confusion settling in now that he wasn't fighting. "I though I had gotten along pretty well with Diant last time we met?"

"Maybe this castle's changed his memories," suggested Rann. "He may have forgotten any bond you two had forged after he left the Organization."

"Maybe," agreed Daxtin, still frowning. "But what about what he said about Naminé? That my memories are just a reflection of his…"

"Well, you _are_ his Nobody," said Rann. "It could be that she's someone he knew and you didn't. You've only remembered her since we came to this castle."

"No, I'm sure that my memories are right," said Daxtin, digging around in his coat. "After all, if they weren't, why would I have this picture?"

He pulled out the drawn picture of him and Naminé watching the sunset.

"I made a promise when she gave me this," he said. "I promised that I'd definitely see her again." He sighed then. "And now, because of me, she's in this mess. Is Diant trying to rescue her too?"

Rann only shook his head, not really listening.

"Something still seems off," he muttered, but Daxtin didn't hear.

* * *

The girl sat alone in the light, doodling absently on the pad of paper that was on her lap. Her gentle blue eyes peered out from under short bangs of platinum blonde hair as she frowned at the drawing, concerned. She was wearing tan capris and a white tank top, a too-large light blue sports jacket sliding down her arms, leaving her shoulders exposed. Her feet, in blue tennis shoes, tapped idly against the legs of the chair. She was about the same age as Daxtin. 

"And how are you doing, Naminé?" asked a mocking voice. In a splash of darkness, Sam appeared, causing the timid girl to jump.

"Sam. I'm… fine," she said unconvincingly.

"Oh really?" said the red head with a smirk. "Your hero's coming to save you. Aren't you happy?"

"I'm… glad," said Naminé reluctantly.

"You don't sound it," said Sam. "Or what, do you feel bad about manipulating poor wittle Daxtin? He's just a Nobody, the same as–"

"Hey, knock it off, Sam," said a stern tone. The Diant Replica came walking in.

"Diant," she said with a smile, backing away from Naminé as he came over. "How did your fight go, hmm?"

"That Nobody has enlisted Griever to help him," he said. "I wasn't expecting an ally. But I'll take care of them next time." He put a solicitous hand on Naminé's shoulder. "Don't worry. I won't let him intrude."

He turned and headed off for another room.

"Now, if you don't mind, I have to prepare so I can wipe him out," said the Replica as he left. Sam smirked at his back before turning to Naminé again.

"And speaking of manipulation, that's quite a job you've done with the toy there," she said, half-admiringly. "He really _does_ think he's Diant. And the promise, that was ingenious too. Now Daxtin _has_ to come to your rescue. Did you think that up, or did Luciella?"

Naminé only looked down at her paper sadly, not responding.

"Fine, be that way," snorted Sam. "I'm taking off."

In a swirl of darkness, she disappeared, and Naminé was once again alone.

* * *

"How is she, Sam?" 

"Taciturn as ever," reported the red head, standing before the throne. Her sisters stood besides her. "She's still working him over."

"Good," purred the curvaceous figure lounging on the throne. Dark hair curled about her pale face, though much of it now was tied back in a short bob. She leaned forwards out of the shadows, bringing a dangerous hand up to her face. Besides the pointed fingers of her gloves, there were the thin black spikes coming out of her wrists, a thin circle of the same dark material forming a ring around her wrist, suspended by the spikes, which pierced this orbit by about an inch. Large spikes of the same black metal stuck out around her throne and her feet, curved section connecting them or standing solely like black crucifixes. "That fool in the basement can do what he wants; it is I, the Queen of Thorns, who shall bring the Nobody with a Heart to the Master. I, the Mistress of Shadows, shall be honored among all the Seven. The Seeker of Darkness can have his vessel; with this, it matters not what he schemes and ploys. In the end, I, Lust, shall be victorious."

And Luciella, face hidden behind the stuffed rabbit hugged tight to her chest, secretly smiled.


	11. The Seeker of Darkness

Meh: Short chapter, but I suppose it's important.

* * *

Chapter 10: The Seeker of Darkness

* * *

"What's that smell?" asked Diant. 

"What smell?" said Anya curiously, sniffing the seaside air. "You mean the ocean?"

"No, this is something else," said the boy pensively. "This is… this is the smell of darkness. The place is thick with it."

"You can smell the darkness?"

"Yeah, I… what's happening to me?" muttered Diant, clenching his fists. "Now it's even invading my senses. Damn it."

"Um, so what is this place?" asked Anya timidly, trying to change the subject.

"This is Balamb, a laid-back seaside town near a military academy," he said distractedly, once again staring at his hands, is if trying to see the darkness hiding in them. "Of course, no one's here. No one's ever in these white rooms, only Heartless." He suddenly threw his face skyward, screaming at top of his lungs, "_Why is that!?_"

But no one answered, not even the cry of gulls over the water. The place was completely empty.

Turning on his heels, Diant headed up the winding cobblestone road towards the shining structure of the Balamb Garden, deeper into the penetrating darkness that permeated the air.

* * *

It was like walking through a mausoleum. Everything was exactly the way Diant remembered it, but now it was empty, devoid of life. The air was still, dead. When he came to the turn stiles, the old sleeping guard in the booth wasn't there. None of the students were there. When he jumped the stiles, he heard something come rushing through the air at him. 

"Laev?" he asked hopefully, ready to dodge the enthusiastic SeeD's jump kick. Instead, he had to jump out of the way as a neo-shadow came tumbling through the air, its spinning limbs nearly clawing off his arms. Soon, more of its kind jumped out of puddles of shadows and Anya and Diant were quickly surrounded.

Drawing his aura blades, Diant launched himself into the crowd, slashing away with fury and frustration. Dodging one neo-shadow's claws, he jumped over it, destroying it with his blades as he landed on top of the Heartless behind it, knocking it into a group of its peers before dispatching them all with a few quick strikes.

Nearby, Anya was fighting with the Shadow Lance, cutting long, devastating swathes in the midst of her enemies. Shadows trailing from her blade and her arm, she spun about gracefully, cutting down the Heartless that had leapt at her back and taking out another coming in at her side. However, despite how well they were doing, the two were outnumbered and quickly being over powered.

Diant grunted in pain as one neo-shadow latched onto his legs, leaving long bloody tears in his pants before he dispatched it. Other Heartless were diving past Anya's sweeping strokes, quickly jumping on her, weighing her down so that others could attack.

"Get off of her!" shouted Diant, trying to make his way over to Anya. However, there were simply too many Heartless between them, and Anya was fast being overcome with squirming, jagged-mouthed neo-shadows. Diant lunged forwards and threw Divider, and it cut through the masses of Heartless, but just before it could reach Anya, a Neo shadow jumped in the way, immediately destroyed but also deflecting the blade off course. Diant quickly made to throw Joiner, only to find his left arm ensnared by clinging Heartless. He struggled to free his weapon, to no avail. He watched helplessly as Anya sunk below the writhing mass of shadows, felt his frustration burning in his chest. Summoning all his strength, he flung his hand towards her position in one desperate act. "Dark Firaga!"

Instantly, blue-white flames burst forwards from his palm as shadowy tendrils burst back from them, engulfing his arm in red and black. The dark fires incinerated all before them, easily clearing all the Heartless and sweeping them from Anya's huddled form. Then, dark lines sped through the air from his hand, and Divider came flying back to him, landing in his palm. Not hesitating, Diant stabbed down into the darkness clinging to him, decimating the neo-shadows that ensnared his wrist and legs. In a quick slash and a flash of darkness, they were gone.

Breathing hard, Diant dismissed the two aura blades and headed over to Anya. She didn't seem too badly injured, just a little shaken.

"Th-thank you," she said, a little embarrassed as he helped her up. She jumped in surprise as she saw him though. "Oh, your hand!"

"I know…" he said ruefully, even as the dark tendrils receded and disappeared.

"Diant, look!" she said suddenly, causing him to look up from his brooding. She was pointing down the corridor, where he saw a flicker of movement.

"What was that?" he asked, suddenly alert.

"It was someone in a black cloak," said Anya. "I think it was that person from Organization XIII we met earlier."

"And I think I know who it is," growled Diant, leading the way. "Follow me!"

* * *

Diant chased after the black cloaked figure down half-remembered hallways, past empty classrooms and up deserted flights of steps. Heartless appeared to bar their way and were just as quickly cut down. Finally, on the second floor, in the central hallway, they cornered the Organization member as she was waiting for the elevator to arrive. 

"You're cornered," he said, blades drawn. "What's your game, Kyara?"

"Kyara?" gasped Anya in surprise. As she did, the cloaked Heartless threw back her hood, revealing the hard eyes and tattooed face and short blonde hair that Anya had seen before in the World That Never Was. Her lower face hidden behind her high collar which she stared over at Diant. Unmistakably, this was the Organization's number III, the Hidden Assassin.

"I said before… 'not over'," stated Kyara simply, repeating her last words when they had defeated her in the World That Never Was. Anya shuddered, remembering the woman's fixation with her and Emeline, an ongoing vendetta that apparently did not end with fading into darkness.

"But how?" demanded Diant. "You should be dead!"

"I saw you fade into the darkness," said Anya quietly.

"The darkness is not the end," said Kyara, two, foot-long kunai knives sliding out of her sleeves into her hands. "The beginning of something greater."

"Whatever. I liked you better when you only said one word at a time," said Diant.

"Insolence," she said coldly.

"Kind of like that," he said with a grin. "Now, mind telling us what you're doing here?"

"Keeping an eye on a pesky subject."

"And that includes sending Heartless after me?" he asked.

"Testing the vessel," she said enigmatically.

"'The vessel', huh?" mused Diant. "Well, since you seem to be in such a talkative mood, maybe you can also tell me _why the hell can't we find anyone but Heartless and their masters_ in my memories?"

"You walk in darkness," replied Kyara emotionlessly. "Those in darkness have no friends. You can only see darkness. You _are_ darkness."

"Okay, this just got a lot less amusing," said Diant, swinging Joiner and Divider. "Time for you to die. Again."

Charging forwards, he swung out with both blades at the Heartless woman, who jumped back out of the way, nimbly dodging his strikes and executing a flip in midair, landing lightly on her feet.

"Too slow," she said shortly. Then she ducked suddenly as Anya's Shadow Lance came swinging over head. "_You_."

Dodging under the swinging spear, Kyara lashed out at Anya with her knives, forcing the girl to dodge back away. Gaining space, the dark girl striking out with her lance, slicing right through the cloaked woman, who disappeared in a dark mist. Kyara reappeared behind her, swinging in with a roundhouse kick. Anya leaned back, losing her footing as she dropped under the swinging limb. Kyara swung down at her with one kunai while she was defenseless, only to be blocked by Diant coming in, deflecting the blow with one of his aura blades.

"Hey, lay off her," he growled at the Organization member. Slashing at her, he drove her back away from them. She skipped to a stop a few yards away, staring coldly at the pair. Then she executed a series of quick slashes in the air before lashing out her blades at them.

"Shadow," she barked shortly as an ensnaring net of darkness shot out from her at them.

"Divider!" shouted Diant, lashing out with the black aura blade. The dark net parted in two before them, flying off to either side. He shouted at Kyara, "Any other cute tricks?"

"Tiresome," she muttered shortly before opening a dark portal behind her. Stepping back through, she disappeared, leaving the two of them alone.

"Hey, get back here!" the boy shouted. However, it was too late; Kyara was gone. "Tch," he grunted. "I'll get her yet. What does she have against you though?"

"Well," said Anya shyly, walking up beside him, "My sister, I mean, my Other… Emeline, she beat Kyara once and drove her away… and when Kyara just missed catching her, she found me then… and I ended up beating her. That's when she faded into the darkness."

"Well, it doesn't seem like you finished her off," he muttered.

"I'm sorry," apologized Anya.

"What? Oh, no, it's not your fault," said Diant awkwardly. He was saved the trouble of smoothing things over as the elevator finally dinged, the doors opening to their level. "Look, let's just get going, okay?"

"Sure," she said, and they both stepped through and out of the White Room.

* * *

"That stench… show yourself!" yelled Diant, looking about the hallway. 

There was a flash of light and the figure in the white cloak appeared before them.

"I said I would see you on the 8th Basement Floor," said the hooded man. "And by now, I think you know what I mean about your true nature."

"Darkness is not my true nature!" shouted the boy defiantly.

"So you say, but your quick denial is merely further proof that it is, and that you know it," said the man. "Look how you cringe at the light."

The cloaked figure raised an arm out from the folds of his floor-length coat and snapped his fingers and a powerful, blinding light flashed from his fingertips, causing both Diant and Anya to flinch away from it.

"Pathetic."

Gliding forwards, the man languidly waved his hand, his other arm also coming out from under his cloak, both sending beams of light spinning about. Diant and Anya dodged back, weapons drawn. Jumping over one beam of light, Diant charged at him, lashing out with Joiner and Divider, one after another. The man blocked with a shield of light, sending him flying back. As Diant flew through the air, Anya lashed out with the Shadow Lance, sending a wave of darkness at the man, who dispersed the attack with a flash of light.

"I know who you are," said Diant, stumbling to his feet.

"Oh?" said the white cloaked figure in interest, halting in his attacks. "Is that so?"

"You use light and wear white clothes, but you can't hide the stench of darkness," he said, pointing an aura blade at him. "Isn't that right, Ansem?"

"Ansem?" said Anya, confused.

"Yes," said the figure, "but now it's _Pride_."

The man whipped off his cloak, the white material melting into black shadows before disintegrating. The disguise gone, the man revealed had sharp, handsome features, dangerous lightning-blue eyes and long, smooth blonde hair that hung in a well brushed curtain around his face to his shoulders. He wore a formal, wide-shouldered jacket, black with gold trim and golden fastenings both on the front and the cuffs. His black pants were tucked into knee-length black boots, done in the same style with the same gold fastenings as his jacket. A fine, silver rapier in one hand, he gazed at the pair contemptuously.

"This is the Ansem I knew," said Diant to Anya, who looked even more confused. "Not his father, Ansem the Wise, but Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness."

"I have long since surpassed such mortal names," he said. "Now, I am one of the Seven."

"So, you've come back, just like Kyara, huh?" noted Diant. "Well isn't this fun. I thought you lost your body; that was why you needed me, but you seem fine now."

"I have been supplied with a… replacement," explained Pride disdainfully, "but in the end, I truly need someone steeped in darkness. A heart of purest dark." He smiled then, slick and evil. "And that is where you come in."

"Like I'd ever serve you," he growled, gripping his blades tightly.

"You did once before," the man pointed out, lightly pointing his rapier at them. "And so you shall once again. Embrace your darkness. Through it, you are stronger. And with every use, my hold on you becomes greater."

"Shut up!" yelled Diant, lashing out without thinking. However, instead of the aura blade flying from his hand, it was a ball of blue-white ghostly fire. The former Ansem cut it down easily with a swipe of his blade, a grin spreading across his face as he leered at the boy, who stared in horror at his arm. Once again, Diant's hand was encased in the dark tendrils, which now, slower than before, receded back to his palms before disappearing.

"Believe what you want," said Pride, disappearing in a flash of darkness. His lingering voice echoed through the halls. "In the end, you will be mine."


	12. That Girl

Delays: They happen. Here's the next chapter; and breaking up the pattern, the next one's another Daxtin chapter. Also, I think this is the first time Daxtin and Diant have faced the same "boss" so far?

* * *

Chapter 11: That Girl

* * *

"Something stills seems odd," said Rann as they walked up the stairs. "Are you sure there isn't something we've forgotten?" 

"How would I know, if I forgot it?" said Daxtin dryly. "Anyway, what's to forget? Diant's attacking me because he forgot that we're friends, and those girls are holding Naminé hostage, so we're going to rescue her."

"Don't forget the part where that's a trap," added Rann, then shook his head. "But that's not what I mean. You remember Naminé, and I know you really care about her, but wasn't there another girl?"

"What other girl? You mean Anya?" said Daxtin with a puzzled look on his face. "That's different."

"No, not her," muttered Rann. "Someone else… a princess or something."

"Why would I know a princess?" snorted the boy incredulously. "But I think I know what you're talking about. I kind of remember someone else…" He shrugged. "But whatever, I'm sure I'll remember as we go; just like I remembered Naminé, right?"

Then Daxtin ran ahead to the doorway into the next White Room as Rann followed slowly behind.

"Yeah," he said, unconvinced, then added under his breath, "or maybe it's something you're forgetting."

* * *

"A parade? Is it some kind of holiday?" asked Daxtin, looking around. All down the streets, festivities were in full swing. The high stone, terracotta colored buildings were decorated with colorful streamers and flags; the streets were crowded and the market stalls doing a lively business trade. All around was an air of celebration, with various clashing music styles and loud reveling voices. 

"No idea," replied Rann, clearly not impressed.

"Come on, it could be something important," said Daxtin, sighing at his companion's lack of enthusiasm for, well, anything. So instead, he turned to a nearby spectator, a tall, lithe woman with dark skin and distinctly rabbit-like features, including a pair of tall ears standing tall above her wavy white hair. "Hey, do you know what's going on?"

"You from out of town?" she asked coolly.

"Um, yeah," replied Daxtin. It wasn't exactly a lie.

"Well, it's a parade for the coronation of the new ruler of Rabanastre, Prince Vahnen," she replied neutrally. "I came with some of the other Vierra to bear witness, but…"

"You'd rather be elsewhere, huh?" suggested Daxtin, eying the large hunting bow on her back.

"O-of course not," she stammered, flushing slightly. "It's an honor to be chosen to witness such a momentous event for our tribe's historical records, even if it is as a bodyguard to the true historians."

"Right," he said doubtfully. "Anyway, thanks for the info. We'll be leaving now."

With that, he turned from the Vierra and walked over to where Rann had waded through the crowd to get a closer look.

"Seems it's the coronation of some Prince or something," he relayed to the man. Rann grunted noncommittally. "Can you see him?"

"I think that's him, on the big float coming down the street," he replied, pointing over the heads of the crowd. Proceeded by fanfare and performers was an impressive, bordering on gaudy, parade float with a dashing young man in royal garb standing behind the chariot-like helm, a number of guards surrounding him. An odd shimmering surrounded the whole thing, and people pressing too close into the street seemed to be pushed back by it.

"What's the bubble?" asked Daxtin, tilting his head and standing on his tip toes to get a different angle.

"Some kind of barrier," surmised Rann clinically. "Not sure if it's magic or techno."

"Magic or what?" asked Daxtin, but before he could get an answer, there was a loud bang and a shattering noise.

Turning and looking over the panicking crowds, he saw the domed barrier surrounding the prince's float shatter like glass, shards reflecting the sunlight wildly before dissipating in midair. People were screaming, running for cover as the guards looked for the source of the disruption. Then there were several more bangs and the Prince and number of his guards fell down dead, shot cleanly by the unknown source.

"What's going on?" shouted Daxtin over the commotion. "Who's firing?"

"It came from up there," said Rann, pinpointing the source of the shots with professional ease. "Let's go."

"Wait, what?" said the boy, but already the brunette was pushing through the crowd to the building he had pointed to before. "Hey, wait!"

* * *

With a sigh, Daxtin followed through the panicking public after his stalwart companion. 

"How much farther?" shouted Daxtin up the stairwell at Rann's back.

"Quiet," said the man seriously, not even looking back at him. "It's this floor."

Rann waited until the boy had caught up with him, and then signaled for him to be silent. After listening intensely for a few minutes, he then kicked in the door, gunblade in one hand, a fireball brewing the in other, that arm extended into the barren room. His glowing palm met with the tip of a steely arrow on a taut-strung bow, pointed straight at his head.

"You!" said the archer in surprise. It was the Vierra they had met before.

"And you," growled Rann, eyes untrusting. "Did you do it?"

"Does it look like I did?" she said, lowering her bow. "In case you didn't notice, those were gunshots. I only use bows."

"I noticed, on both accounts," said Rann, coldly, lowering his hand and letting the spell go out, but not putting away his blade. "Of course, you could just be saying such, but I was fairly certain it wasn't you."

"How do you know, as untrusting as you are?" asked the Vierra testily.

"Call it a hunch," said he said, strolling past her. "Besides," he added, kneeling down near an open window, "you don't reek of gunpowder. Judging from the poor quality of this gun, the blast marks, and ammunition… this guy's covered in the stuff."

"So, you came to investigate also, before the soldiers mess it all up, huh?" she said, walking over, Daxtin following behind. "Well, if what you say is right, it shouldn't be too hard to track the assassin. I have keen senses, and the trail isn't old."

"So, you know who we're looking for?" Daxtin asked the two of them.

"No idea," they said in unison, to the annoyance of both.

"But it's obvious he's an amateur," said Rann. "Professionals don't leave weapons at the scene; they ditch them elsewhere." He stood and looked about the room. "Seems he left in a hurry. So we're looking for someone nervous, hurried, suspicious, and most of all, reeking of gunpowder." He turned to the huntress. "If you'll lead the way?"

"Shaara," she said simply, staring levelly at them. Rann merely raised an eyebrow at her. "That's my name, in case you were wondering."

"I wasn't," he said shortly before walking out of the nearby back door, out onto a fire escape, leaving the Vierra to seethe as his boot steps echoed up as he clanked down the metal stairs.

"Sorry about that," apologized Daxtin, causing Shaara to look at him in mild surprise, as if noticing him for the first time. "My name's Daxtin, and he's Rann. He's not exactly the friendly type."

"So I gathered," she said. "And not the smart type either. 'Lead the way' he says, then goes off on his own."

"Yeah, he tends to walk off on his own a lot too," said Daxtin with a sigh. "We better catch up with him; he won't stop for us."

* * *

The streets outside were complete turmoil. Half of the populace was struggling to return to their homes, while the other half was trying to find out what was happening, either by trying to get the scene of the crime, getting to the royal palace, or just harassing any one of the many soldiers that were lining the streets, attempting to restore order. Riding on imposing looking tanks that hovered ominously down the street, officers were shouting through megaphones at the panicking people. 

"Return to your homes," decried the static voices. "Martial Law is being implemented in Rabanastre by Judge Valentine's orders. Return to your homes."

"He's nearby," said Shaara, looking around and sniffing the air, her long ears twitching. Rann nodded in acknowledgment and casually scanned the crowd. Daxtin stood on his toes to try and see over the heads of the crowd, but was quickly pulled off balance by the Vierra grabbing his arm. "Quick, this way."

The three of them moved to one side of the shifty crowds, close the wall.

"What are we doing? Won't he get away if we just stand here?" whispered Daxtin urgently, though he was sure no one else could hear him over the commotion.

"You saw him too, right?" said Shaara, inclining her head towards Rann. The scarred man gave the slightest of nods. She turned back to Daxtin. "Try to look like we're just talking. He's behind me, at the corner with the brown overcoat."

Daxtin thought he spotted who she was talking about, though he couldn't see him all that clearly.

"How can you tell?" he asked them.

"His expression, his movements," said the Vierra. "He's panicked, worried. He jumps every time a soldier comes by."

"And the gunpowder smudge on his cheek," said Rann blandly.

"Can you really see all that?" said Daxtin, leaning out on tip toes to get a better look. Just as he managed to catch a glimpse of the man's face, the man saw him looking and took of at a run, around the corner and down an alley.

"He's spotted us," growled Rann, taking off after him. Shaara just shook her head at Daxtin then followed.

"Um, sorry?" said Daxtin, suddenly feeling very inept as he ran to catch up with the other two.

* * *

They cornered the man in the brown overcoat at the end of an empty alley. He was unshaven, panic-stricken and out of breath, while Shaara and Rann seemed perfectly calm, though both had their weapons drawn when Daxtin arrived. 

"So, who are you working for?" asked the Vierra, an arrow already nocked and trained on the man's throat.

"W-what are you talking about?" he stuttered.

"We already know you shot the Prince," she said firmly. "Now who are you working for?"

"Do I look like a professional assassin?" he demanded of them, eyes bulging in terror.

"No, you look like an amateur one," said Rann bluntly.

"An amateur who was given equipment and instructions by someone else," added Shaara. "Meaning you're just pawn and _highly_ expendable. Now talk."

"I-I can't," he sputtered helplessly, falling to his knees. "If I tell you, he'll kill me!"

"Well, he's not here right now, and we are," said the huntress. "And I have no qualms about killing a murderer like you."

"Shaara!" gasped Daxtin in shock, moving forwards to pull her away. However, Rann grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back.

"It doesn't matter," moaned the man hopelessly. "He'll send _them_ after me. It's all over."

"Just tell us who and we'll turn you into the military," said Shaara, a little less harshly. "You'll have the best of protection until you are put on trial."

"Noooo…" he groaned hopelessly. "It doesn't matter. In the end, _he'll_ still judge me…" He suddenly sat up, looking at them with wild, terrified eyes. "I've said too much."

"What?" asked Daxtin, confused.

"They're coming," said the man, shrinking back against the wall of the alley. As he did, the shadows behind him grew, then black clawed hands sprouted from the walls. Before they could do anything, multiple Heartless popped out and engulfed the assassin, dragging him back into their shadowy depths.

"What in the Lady's name was that?" demanded Shaara, jumping back from the shadows as they disappeared into the wall, taking their prisoner with them.

"Heartless," said Daxtin, looking around. Sure enough, more pools of darkness were forming around them.

"Come to finish us off," noted Rann. As he did, multiple shadows popped off of the ground, antenna twitching and yellow eyes looking about erratically. Then, dark portals opened, and dark, almost skeletal hounds walked out of them, their ring-like collars spinning languidly. Not waiting for them to make the first move, Rann charged the creatures, quickly slashing one right up the center and dispersing it.

Daxtin joined in, Joiner and Divider working in unison, weaving in a smooth pattern of destruction, leaving no openings while methodically taking out Heartless one by one. However, as he lunged out at one Heartless, a shadowy hound leapt at his unprotected back, maw agape displaying its fearsome fangs. Before it could strike, though, an arrow came whistling through the air, piercing its neck and ending its life.

Shaara stood at the end of the alley, calmly nocking another arrow and letting it fly. Soon the air was thick with projectiles, and Daxtin came to a halt for fear of moving in their way, though Rann showed no such reserve and no harm came to him. In short order, the two professionals brought the melee to a close, Rann expunging the last shadow with a short blast of fire from the palm of his hand.

"Why did you stop?" he asked as Daxtin walked up to him.

"I was afraid I might get shot if I moved," he admitted ruefully.

"You have to trust in your comrade's abilities," said Rann.

"Well, I didn't _know_ her abilities, okay?" he said, stung by the brunette's disapproval. "How was I supposed to know?"

"That's another thing you have to learn then, kid," he said simply, sheathing his blade as Shaara came up. "Nice work."

"Thanks," she said absently, lost in thought. "I don't know what he meant though…"

"Yeah, it's not like he said who hired him," said Daxtin. "So I don't know why they took him out…"

"He claimed he had said too much," muttered the huntress, mulling it over. "What was it he said before?"

"Something about still being judged," supplied the boy.

"Of course," said Shaara, eyes widening in recognition. "The Prince was protected by a powerful law-spell denying entry to any and all foreign bodies. Only a powerful anti-law could have broken it. Plus, in such a state of emergency, with the royal family deceased and no next-in-line, the city falls under martial law. And with the Judgemaster not only the judicial head, but military head as well, he can probably keep it this way indefinitely. It has to be him!"

"Him who?" asked the boy.

"Judge Valentine," she answered. "We can't let a murderer rule fair Rabanastre."

"And he's working with the Heartless," said Daxtin. "It'd be a disaster!"

"So, where can we find him?" asked Rann.

"He'll be in the Royal Palace by now," answered Shaara. "Follow me."

* * *

There was a short round of protests and battle cries, and then the hallway outside the royal office fell silent save for the quick sound of boots on marble. Then the double doors burst open as the three avengers burst in. 

"Well, well, well," said Judge Valentine with a sneer. "And to what do I owe the displeasure of this visit?"

"Enough," said Shaara sharply. "We know that you were behind Prince Vahnen's assassination."

"Is that so? And what can you even do about it?" said the armored man sardonically.

"Don't act so confident, Valentine," said Daxtin, stepping forwards, pointing Joiner at him. "We've already rallied half of the soldiers and a bunch of the other judges in our support. They've always known you'd do something like this."

"That's _Judge_ Valentine, boy," he growled angrily. "You really think mere _humans_ can stop me? Rally your people, boy, it will do you no good. I have with me the power of darkness itself, and you cannot defeat it."

"We already have," said Rann calmly, "many times."

"We aren't afraid of Heartless!" shouted Daxtin.

"Then I'll have to show you… _true_ power!" roared Valentine, grabbing his enormous blade off of the desk before him. He cut through the desk with a powerful upwards slash, sending the two halves flying through the air at the trio. Rann and Shaara dodged to each side while Daxtin charged up the middle, through the storm of debris and right at the armored Judge. His twin strikes of the aura blades were easily swept aside by Valentine's gigantic sword, the sheer weight of the steel knocking Daxtin back as the two halves of the desk came crashing down on the polished marble floor behind them. However, before the judge could follow up with an attack, he was forced back by a series of arrows, each one shattering with stupendous force against his blade and armor, leaving harsh dents in its polished surface. Before he could even consider Shaara, though, it was Rann's turn.

The gunbladier lashed out with a powerful two-handed cut, the steel of his gunblade sending up sparks as it clashed with the Judge's sword. Firing a shot, the sudden ignition and discharge of an empty shell from the gunblade caused the armored man to flinch momentarily, just enough of a distraction for Rann to knock his blade out of the way and take a slash at him. Valentine managed to dodge back, but not before Rann cut a long rent in his armor, on the verge of actually piercing through the polished steel.

"You dare!" growled Valentine angrily. There was a flash of darkness, and all three combatants were thrown back from the judge. As they scrambled to their feet, they watched as the Judge's armor became awash with shadows, going from a polished, shining silver to a dark, oppressive black. Holding out his hand, a wave of dark tendrils shot forth, ensnaring all three of them in their shadowy grips. "This is the fate of all that resist me!"

"Damnit," growled Rann, struggling against the tightening bonds.

"To use such darkness...!" hissed Shaara through gritted teeth, fighting not to cry out as the entangling shadows threatened to crush her.

"Hahaha! Now do you fear the darkness, boy?" Valentine laughed madly, turning his extended arm and tightening the grip of the dark fetters. He grinned crazily at Daxtin, whose head was bent over, facing downwards. "Can't even speak, so deep is your despair? Now do you know my power?"

Daxtin mumbled something indistinct.

"What was that?" growled the Judge, his dark bonds threatening to crush them.

"I said, your darkness can _never_ beat me!" he shouted, suddenly staring the man in the face. Determination burned in his eyes, and for a moment, Valentine's grip faltered.

There was a burst of light, then Joiner and Divider flew out from the darkness binding them to Daxtin's sides.

"Razor Light!" he shouted as twin lasers shot from the tips of the aura blades. The two blades spun about in midair, independently slicing apart the many tendrils of shadow that bound his companions and himself. As soon as he was free, he brought both blades back to him, the two spinning above his head, pointing at each other. Between them, the two opposing lasers struck in an ever-widening nexus. As the ball of light there grew, Daxtin charged forwards at the stunned Judge. Then, grabbing the handles of his blades, he swung them in a cross-slash, sending the ball of light at the darkly armored man. "Flash Bomb!"

There was an explosion of blinding light, and then it was over. The fading light revealed Judge Valentine, his blade broken and his armor in pieces, barely able to stand.

"Well played, boy," he rasped, before breaking off into a racking fit of coughing. "But… it's not over yet… Heartless!"

He made to raise his hand, but before his gauntlet could even rise an inch, he fell with a cry and an arrow in his shoulder.

"That's enough," said Shaara. "This city is not my home, but regardless, I will not see it so defiled."

"So, will you finish me off?" demanded Valentine.

"No," she said, shouldering her bow. "We'll let the other Judges do that."

* * *

"Well, I hope everything turns out alright," said Daxtin as they walked down the stairs of the palace. 

"Probably not," said Shaara. "I was supposed to be here in a strictly observational capacity… oh well."

"Standing back and watching isn't really your kind of thing though, is it?" said the boy with a smile.

"I told them that, but they sent me anyway," she sighed. "I suppose I should go find the others. And you two?"

"We'll be moving on," said Rann shortly. "We were on an important mission before, but got sidetracked here."

"Well, sorry for inconveniencing you," replied the Vierra dryly.

"Whatever," he replied, striding ahead towards the doors.

"Sorry about that," apologized Daxtin, watching the warrior walk off. "He's-"

"Always like that, I gathered," said Shaara with a sigh. "Well, you better get after him, before he leaves you behind. See you around."

"You too," said Daxtin, following after Rann. It was not until after he walked out of the White Room with him that he realized he probably never would see her again, and even if he did, she would never have met him. It was just an illusion, but the further he walked in this castle, the more he forgot that. So what else was he forgetting?


	13. Lost Friends

Gurren Lagann: I hope it ends awesomely. I just recently got a job and started taking evening classes, but hopefully I can keep up a chapter a week, or whatever my pace is. Maybe.

Anyway, we're about halfway through The Forgotten Castle. And I'm _almost_ done with the updated character sketches. I'll try to have them up with the next update or the one after.

* * *

Chapter 12: Lost Friends

* * *

"What floor are we on now?" asked Daxtin as they exited the White Room. 

"Those stairs ahead should lead to the 8th floor, if I remember correctly," said Rann casually. As the words sunk in though, they realized that there was no guarantee that he did.

"Oh, don't look so down," said a familiar voice. "It _is_ the 8th floor ahead; your brains aren't that far gone."

"Diant!" said Daxtin, spotting his Other coming down the stairs.

"But it does seem your memory's bad enough that you've already forgotten what I told you," he said coldly, staring with loathing at the Nobody. He was still in his Dark Form. "Just give up and go away. I don't need you, and neither does Naminé."

"Diant, I'm just trying to help!" pleaded the other boy.

"Help? How, by ignoring everything I tell you?" said Diant cuttingly.

"No, I'm trying to help you," he explained. "You're here to rescue Naminé, right? Even if you've forgotten that we came to an understanding, I still want to help you rescue her!"

"Rescue? What are you talking about?" he demanded. "The only one she needs rescuing from is _you_!"

"What?" said Daxtin, but before he could say anything else, Diant was already attacking.

Daxtin dodged back as his Other lunged forwards, lashing out with both aura blades in rapid succession. He blocked the first few blows before Diant jumped at him, sliding past his guard to land behind, quickly striking at Daxtin's unprotected back. Daxtin was sent sprawling to the ground, but before Diant could deliver the final blow, Rann was there.

Rann's gunblade deflected the dark boy's blows, the scarred warrior throwing him back and attacking with powerful slashes. Diant blocked only enough to give himself time to regain his balance before counterattacking in force. The two warriors clashed simultaneously, Rann's gunblade striking at an angle to both of Diant's aura blades. The two stood there, neither willing to ease off. Then, suddenly, Diant dismissed Joiner and pulled his hand back, energy already gathering in his palm. Instead of forcing his sudden advantage and taking whatever attack the boy was making, Rann jumped back, gunblade in one hand as he gathered magical energy in the other.

"Firaga!" he shouted, the flaming ball bursting from the brunette's hand as he launched it forwards at the enemy.

"Dark Firaga!" yelled Diant at the same time, loosing the burning unearthly flames he had gathered. The two blazes met in an explosion of smoke and fury, filling the hallway with their fires. But it wasn't even.

The Dark Firaga came bursting through the explosion, hardly lessened for the collision. The burning blue flames crashed into Rann, exploding with dark energy and sending him flying back. Diant charged after him, leaping towards him even before he hit the ground. Because of this, the dark boy was unable to dodge, only block, as Daxtin's aura blade came flying at him.

Diant was sent tumbling through the air by the impact, bouncing once off the wall but recovering nicely and landing on his feet, armed and ready to go.

"Diant, stop this!" pleaded Daxtin as Joiner returned to his hand.

"As soon as you leave Naminé alone!" roared his other, teleporting in a spurt of darkness to appear behind him. Daxtin barely had time to block as Diant attacked. The dark boy lashed out with both blades in vicious repetition, never giving Daxtin a chance to regain his balance. However, just as Daxtin's guard was starting to slip, Rann had rejoined the fight.

The man swung out at Diant's back with his powerful gunblade. Diant blocked, but now he was stuck between two enemies, fighting a battle on both sides.

"You can't win this," said Rann as he locked blades with him.

"Please, Diant, we just want to help," said Daxtin.

"Help?" said Diant with a grim chuckle, sweat dripping down his face as he struggled to hold both of them back. "I don't need help from a Nobody like you!"

There was an explosion of darkness and both of them were thrown back from Diant. Daxtin hit the white stone wall and fell to his knees, but even on impact, Rann remained unflinching.

"If you won't accept our help," yelled the gunbladier, "then get out of our way!"

He raised his gunblade over his head, energy coalescing around him and his blade.

"Lionheart!" he shouted. There was a flash of light as the energies crystallized into a singularly huge blade of energy. Without even moving forwards, Rann brought the enormous blade of energy crashing down on his opponent. There was a colossal burst of power as the blade met with Joiner and Divider, raised in defense.

"Is this the best you can do?" demanded the dark Diant with a laugh. "Too easy!"

"Divider!"

There was a sudden beam of light, and suddenly, Diant's crossed blades were separated, his guard broken wide open. For a split moment, Diant stood there, a stunned look on his face as he looked past his separated blades at the gigantic sword of crystallized energy coming down on him.

And then the blade fell in a crash of energy and explosion that rocked the whole castle, delicate glassy roses shattering from the impact. Daxtin waited, weapons still ready for the dust to clear as Rann retracted his released gunblade's power back to its normal steely casing. Finally, the air and debris in the hallway settled, revealing Diant, ragged, bleeding, but still standing.

"We're on the same side," Daxtin tried to reason with him. "Remember?"

"Sorry," said Diant with a cruel grin, breathing hard, "This castle's gotten rid of Nobody memories like that."

"Then maybe another beating will jar them loose," suggested Rann, raising his blade.

"Bring it on," taunted the dark boy.

"Stop it!" yelled Daxtin, causing both of the others to freeze. He lowered his weapons and began walking towards the other boy. "Come on, Diant, this isn't you. I know you aren't like this. We both should be helping each other save Naminé, your fight with me, this anger you feel, it's the castle messing with your head. It's _fake_."

"What did you say?" hissed Diant, drawing back from them as if stunned.

"What? I said it's fake," repeated Daxtin as he halted, a little puzzled by this reaction.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" yelled Diant, suddenly clutching his head and doubling over in pain.

"Diant, what's wrong?" asked Daxtin in concern, running over to help him as Rann watched cautiously.

"Ugh…" groaned his other. "Get away from me, you Nobody!"

Diant shoved him away, knocking him flat before running off up the stairs, one hand still clutching his skull.

"Diant…" said Daxtin sadly as he watched his other flee.

"I wonder what that was about?" murmured Rann, not bothering to help his companion up.

"I don't know," said Daxtin, brushing himself off as he stood, "but I think it's this castle. We may be remembering things, but it's doing some other weird things too. We have to get out of here as fast as we can."

"Are you suggesting we retreat?" asked Rann with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not! We have to rescue Naminé first," said Daxtin. "And Diant too. Then we can get out of here as fast as possible." He sighed. "Yeah, once this is over, everything can be normal. We can all go back to the islands as friends. Me, Anya, Kir, Diant… and Naminé. Just us five."

_Wasn't there another?_ wondered Rann silently. _Kai…kai…_He shook his head in frustration, unable to remember. In a few moments, he couldn't even remember what he was trying to remember, which only frustrated him more. Following the boy up the stairs, Rann clenched his fists in an annoyance that bordered on real anger with the situation. Daxtin was right: they had to rescue Naminé and be quit of this castle as soon as possible.

* * *

"What kind of place is this?" asked Daxtin, staring around at the darkened city. All around, tall black buildings loomed, their midnight-blue surfaces feebly highlighted by the many neon signs that illuminated them. The night sky glowed with fading stars and a heart-shaped moon. And in the distance was a white castle, floating high above the shadowy city in which they stood. 

"I don't know," admitted Rann, a little uneasily. "I think I've been here before, but…"

"If you don't know where this is, and _I_ don't know where this is, why did we come here?" demanded the boy impatiently.

"It's not my fault, this is just where the next door brought us!" shouted Rann back. Their yells echoed off the empty buildings and down the deserted streets as they stared at each other frustration. Slowly, though, Daxtin was the first to calm down, and when he relaxed, so did Rann, both bringing a hand to their heads as they tried to ponder what was happening.

"The door… that's right, we're still in Castle Oblivion," said Daxtin. "This an illusion built from our memories. I almost forgot."

"Well, glad you remembered," said Rann dryly. "But that still doesn't tell us where we are." He sighed, shaking his head his brown bangs waving back and forth over his scarred visage. "It _has_ to be somewhere we've been before."

"Geez, you two are just completely out of it, huh?" said a voice. Turning, the two spotted the source: a slender man in a black cloak wearing an oval white mask with a flame design on it that hid all of his head but for the mass of fiery red hair spilling down his back in wild spikes. "What'd you do, wander in on accident?"

"Not exactly," said Daxtin cautiously. Where had he seen a cloak like that? And the mask too…

"Admit it: you have no idea where you are," said the stranger with an invisible grin. "Lost with a capital 'L'."

"That's where I've seen that!" shouted the boy suddenly. "You're with Organization XIII!"

"Organization XIII?" asked Rann, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, they're this bad group of, um… guys and they, um, well…" Daxtin trailed off, not sure where he was going with that train of thought. The cloak was from Organization XIII, he was sure of that, but the mask was different. It was something unique. Had he met this person before?

"Ya know, I was kinda flattered that you'd heard of us, but now I'm not so sure," said the masked red-head blandly.

"I liked you better when you were quieter," said Rann bluntly.

"Say what? Do I know you?" asked the stranger, turning on the brunette.

"I… don't know," he admitted, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"You're as bad as the kid," he said with a sigh.

"I think I've met you before too," said Daxtin pensively. "If I just could remember your name…"

"It's Roxtarit," said the stranger, leaning forwards and tapping the side of his head. "R-O-X, T-A-oh, never mind. Anyway, it's Roxtarit. Got it memorized?"

"Yeah," he said, nodding. Then he frowned. "But I still don't remember you."

"Eh, not my problem," said the masked man with a shrug. "Anyway, you two better get out here before the Heartless or something worse shows up."

With a snap of his fingers, a dark portal opened behind him. As he turned to leave, he was halted by Daxtin's voice.

"Hey, wait," he said, stepping after him. "Where are you going?"

"See that castle?" said Roxtarit, pointing towards the floating fortress in the distance. Daxtin nodded. "That's our headquarters. If you can make it that far, well… I'll have to think of something then. Make sure and stop by, okay?"

Giving a careless wave of his hand, Roxtarit stepped into the portal, which closed behind him.

"So, are we going to the castle then?" asked Daxtin.

"Where else can we go?" said Rann. "Just watch out for Heartless."

* * *

"I told you to watch out for Heartless," said Rann sternly. 

"I don't think watching for them really helps any when they appear on all sides and attack simultaneously," complained Daxtin over his shoulder as they stood back to back. "Besides, shouldn't you have been watching out for them? You're the professional, Captain."

"Why'd you call me that?" he growled suddenly, muscles tensing.

"Isn't that what you were? That woman called you it," said Daxtin, watching the Heartless cautiously, but more wary of the threat pressed up against his back.

"What woman?" he asked, turning his glare back on the circling Heartless.

"The, the, _that_ woman," sputtered the boy helplessly. "The one back in the place with the… never mind, let's just kill these things!"

They both charged in separate directions, the Heartless shadows scattering before them as they fought below the gaze of Memory's Skyscraper. The monsters fell easily under their blades, but it didn't matter; no matter how many they cut down, even more would crawl out from the city's shadowy reclusions. What had began as easy as stomping out ants was quickly turning as hard as being swarmed under by them. Here, the Heartless were winning by sheer numbers.

Daxtin dispatched a small group with one set of swings from the aura blades, but even then, three other shadows took this opening to attack him from behind, even as more Heartless filled in the gap he created. Rann's gunblade and magic were flashes of fire amidst the dark masses, but still did nothing to thin the enemy's ever-growing numbers.

"This is hopeless!" shouted Daxtin.

"Can you think of anything better to do?" growled Rann, lashing out at the Heartless, taking them out ten at a time and still making no progress.

"No… wait, what's that?" asked the boy, pointing over the mass of shadows towards the towering building that dominated the square they fought in. A shadowy figure stood at its base.

Before they could make out who it was, a wave of darkness shot out from the person, a cutting line that sliced straight through the Heartless, instantly annihilating them. When it reached Daxtin and Rann, the wave slammed into them, sending them flying on their backs, strong enough to knock the wind out of them, but not cut them in half like the Heartless.

The line of shadow mowed down the Heartless like stalks of wheat, the shadows falling and disintegrating on contact. In a matter of moments, the plaza was empty but for the two warriors stumbling to their feet and their mysterious savior.

"Hey, thanks!" shouted Daxtin as the dark figure walked down the stairs of the building towards them.

"Do you even know who that is?" hissed Rann, gunblade still at the ready.

"No, but they just saved us," said Daxtin, walking over to meet the stranger.

"You sure?" said Rann, following him cautiously.

"Anya? Anya!" said Daxtin happily, running up to the figure, who was indeed the dark-haired Anya. He shouted back over his shoulder to Rann, "See, it's Anya!"

"Watch out!" yelled Rann, gunblade drawn.

Before Daxtin could turn back around, the dark girl had lashed out with her Shadow Lance, sending him sprawling on the ground.

"Anya? What are you doing?" he asked, struggling to get back up. But he could already see it: this wasn't the timid young girl he knew. This was her other side. Soulless eyes, black with the tiniest pinpricks of white in the center, surrounded by radiating lines stared down at him from a darkened face. Shadowy smoke trailed from her body as her hand, black with darkness, clutched the Shadow Lance. "No, no, this can't be happening."

"Get back, kid!" yelled Rann, shoving him out of the way and lashing out with his gunblade. The dark Anya dodged back, her footsteps splashing through a puddle of rain a few yards away as she watched them silently. And then she smiled.

It was a sight that sent chills down Daxtin's spine. The smile was cruel, sadistic, and most disturbing of all, hungry.

"So, I'm finally King," said the dark Anya viciously, swinging the Shadow Lance about carelessly. She stared hungrily at Daxtin. "You can be the first step on my path of destruction."

She suddenly blurred in darkness, moving so fast as to be nearly invisible in the gloom of the Undercity of the World That Never Was. Daxtin seemed to lose her for a second, but Rann could still track her by the footsteps splashing in the puddles of rainwater, even as more rain began to fall. When she reappeared right before the boy, too close and too sudden to block, Rann was there. The Shadow Lance clashed with his gunblade, and then Rann threw her back, buying them a little space.

"She's strong," he said to Daxtin as they both watched the circling Heartless carefully.

"Try not to hurt her," said Daxtin quietly. When he raised an eyebrow at him, he said, "She's my friend."

"Not any more she isn't," pointed out the gunbladier. "Now she's just a Heartless." Rushing past his companion, he charged at the dark girl.

"Rann, no!" shouted Daxtin. It turned out he didn't have to worry.

In a flash of darkness, the Heartless Anya dispatched the scarred warrior in a single strike.

"I don't care about you," she said harshly, knocking Rann away as he tried to charge her again. "The only one I want… is Daxtin!"

Lashing out with a powerful swing of the Shadow Lance, she sent the brunette flying across the plaza, shoulder skidding across the slick pavement stones. Then she turned her attention, her hunger, back on Daxtin. He flinched under her glare, and that was all the opening she needed. She appeared in a flash before him, the swinging length of her dark spear sending him stumbling back. Daxtin regained enough balance to block her next strike, and they locked weapons, the two aura blades crossed against the pressing spear.

"Can you hear her?" asked the dark Anya, grinning up at him with jagged teeth and soulless eyes.

"What?" he said, struggling to hold her back.

"The weakling you call Anya," said the Heartless. "She thought you were the only one who understood her. She really cares about you. That's why I have to kill you. It will destroy her, and I will be King forever."

"Damn it, let Anya go!" he yelled, pressing forwards with a burst of strength and sending her dodging back from his swinging blades. He threw Divider at her, its black length spinning through the air, only to be knocked off course by a swift flick of the Shadow Lance. Then she charged again before his weapon could return to him, sending him on the defense as he blocked and parried with only Joiner.

"Hahahaha, is that all you got?" she demanded sadistically as the Shadow Lance bit into his shoulder, sending a spray of blood into the falling rain.

_This is… so familiar,_ thought Daxtin as he struggled to survive against the onslaught of blows. _This has happened before, I know it. What did I do then? What can I do _now

As they locked blades once more, Daxtin found himself staring into those dark, bottomless eyes, into the white centers that stared back at him like pulsating stars on the verge of winking out. And for a moment, he thought he saw her. Anya, his friend, not the monster before him. Only she was the Heartless before him. This was her. The same thing. And that's when it hit him.

Swinging with the white aura blade with all his strength, Daxtin prayed that this was the right decision.

"Joiner!" he yelled, cutting through the Shadow Lance and the shadow Anya in a singular flash of light. The resulting explosion rocked the plaza, sending rain drops splattering in all directions away from them. And then it was gone, and the rain resumed its course, drenching Daxtin and the dark girl before him. He waited breathlessly as he watched her hunched figure. And then she looked up at him, and he knew he'd done it right.

"Daxtin," said Anya with a weak smile.

"Anya," he smiled. "I'm glad to see you."

"You shouldn't be too glad about illusions," she said sadly, looking away. Shoulders hunched, facing down, rain plastering her black hair to her face, he realized just how small she seemed.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

"Don't you remember what I told you before?" she asked. "Beware your memories. The shadows of them will try to lead you astray."

"I don't remember that," he said. "And I don't know what you mean."

"It's the castle," said Rann as he walked up to the pair. "A warning about Castle Oblivion."

"Maybe I'm forgetting some things," he admitted, "but I'm remembering important things now! Things like Naminé."

"Naminé…" murmured Anya sadly. She looked up at him then, her eyes, dark, soft and concerned staring into his. "Please, Daxtin, you have to leave as soon as you can."

"I'm going to," he said with a tight smile. "I'll leave here and go to Naminé as fast as I can."

"That's not what I meant," she said, shaking her head. "You have to leave this entire place. You have to get out of Castle Oblivion."

"I know, as soon as I rescue Naminé!" he repeated.

"Daxtin, that's the point!" she said urgently. "You have to leave _now_. Forget about Naminé. Remember what's really important."

"What are you talking about?" he said in a bewildered voice. "There's nothing more important than Naminé."

"Daxtin, I don't know about this," she said uncertainly, "but I don't even _know_ any Naminé. Are you really sure about her?"

"Oh. So that's it," he said with a mix of relief and disdain. "The castle's getting to you too. You've forgotten her. Remember Naminé? We went on all those adventures with her, went to Radiant Garden, your sister's world, this place? She was our friend!"

"No, no, this all seems wrong," said Anya, shaking her head. "There's something wrong, Daxtin, and even though I don't know what it is, I know you have to go back. Please don't go any further."

She looked at him with pained, pleading eyes, and for a moment, he considered her request. But when he remember Naminé, all the experiences they had shared, the adventures they'd had, the bonds they'd formed… he knew he couldn't.

"I'm sorry," he said, stepping past her. "But I have to do this. I can't abandon Naminé."

"Your heart's set?" asked Anya sadly, as they stood in the rain, backs to each other.

"…I don't have a heart," Daxtin said quietly. "Remember?"

So they left her, in the rain of his darkened memories, and proceeded deeper into the tangled memories of Castle Oblivion.


	14. Am I Evil?

Chapter 13: Am I Evil?

* * *

"Diant?" asked Anya, a worried look on her face as she followed him up the stairs of Luca Stadium. 

"He's wrong," he said forcefully. "I won't give in to the darkness. Not again. I won't be some creature of the dark, some Heartless like, like…"

"Like me?" she asked softly.

Diant stopped in his tracks, frozen with the uncertainty of what to say. It had been what he was thinking, yet he couldn't turn and face her now, much less tell her that. He was saved from further agony as she stepped forwards and past him onto a landing.

"It's okay," she said quietly. "I know what you mean. I wish I wasn't like this either. Wish I wasn't… here."

"Anya, no," he said, inwardly cringing. He didn't want to hurt her, but a part of him still loathed her for being a Heartless, for being steeped in darkness. For being like he had once been. "Look, just forget what I said, okay? I'll just sort this out on my own."

"Without the help of the darkness," added Anya, a little sadly.

"Yeah," he said absently. "Exactly."

"Without my help," she said.

Rather than try to answer her, Diant could only cringe. Why was she so sad? Wasn't she just a Heartless? And yet, she seemed so human…

Diant shook his head, remembering the displays of dark power she'd shown before; no, there was no doubt. Anya was a creature of the dark. And the closer he was to her, the closer he was to the darkness, the power that had made him a slave of Ansem, a threat once more eminent with him reincarnated as Pride. He couldn't risk using the darkness or relying on it in any way. Even if it was to accept Anya's help.

"Let's go," he said, speeding up the steps into the blitzball stadium.

* * *

"Well, if it isn't young Diant," said a languid voice. The speaker was a green-haired man with a sullen look on his face lounging about in the formal robes that marked him as a summoner. 

"Selim Guado," growled Diant with disdain. Joiner and Divider materialized in his hands as the pair approached the summoner. "I thought I recognized the reek of your magic."

"You mean the power that you so envied?" said the Guado lazily, not bothering to get up from his seat as he leaned back, watching the empty blitz sphere. "The power that you tried to obtain for your teacher?"

"Ansem was not my teacher!" he yelled angrily at him.

"No, you're right," sighed Selim, getting slowly to his feet. "He was more like your master."

"Shut it! That's over and done with," said Diant, watching him with loathing in his eyes.

"Is it? Then why is that you're in this castle, once again right under Ansem's thumb?" mused the summoner. "All you attract is darkness. It is all your heart knows, yet you continue to push it away, leaving yourself empty. You even push away those trying to help you."

At this, he lifted an elegant hand towards Anya.

"You might as well accept the darkness," said Selim. "It is all you will ever know."

"Go to hell! I don't need her darkness or anyone else's, especially that bastard Ansem!" roared Diant, charging at the man. Selim replied with a barrage of ice shards, but the boy charged right in, ignoring the many cuts he received as he came crashing through the deadly hail. Diant lashed out at the summoner with both blades, but the mage was surprisingly nimble, dancing back out of the way, robes trailing behind him as he leapt gracefully back.

As Diant lunged at him, Selim leapt up onto the railing that separated the stands from the deep pit that surrounded the blitz sphere. One false move would send them tumbling over a hundred feet into the whirring machinery that generated the ball of water that occupied the center of the stadium. Despite this, both opponents were focused solely on each other, Diant lashing out recklessly as Selim dodged deftly, pelting him with quick incantations of ice and shadow. Diant barely noticed, the inset orbs in his aura blades glowing brighter with every hit he took as he continued to assault the elusive sorcerer. They burst into bright blue-green brilliance as a particularly strong ice spell shattered against his blades, and when they did, he struck with them hard and fast.

"Mage masher!" he shouted, suddenly shooting forwards. Taking Selim by surprise, he slashed into him with a swift uppercut, knocking the man into the air. Not finished, Diant smashed both blades, point first, into the summoner's outspread arms. As he did, the air reverberated as if struck, and a large magic seal appeared behind the Guado. Pinned to this design in midair, Selim could do nothing as Diant stood on the railing before him, energy gathering in both hands, glowing a bright blue-green. Lunging forwards, Diant slammed both spheres of power into him, the seal shattering like glass as Selim was sent flying backwards into the stands, the bleachers exploding on impact as the man was sent crashing through. Grabbing his blades as they fell from where they had pinned up the summoner, Diant spun in place once before unleashing them, sending them flying one after another into the wreckage where Selim had crash landed. "Rune Killer!"

There was a massive explosion as a series of magic seals appeared in the air around the hole in the bleachers then rapidly shattered one by one. There was one last flash of light, then a boom that shook the stadium as Joiner and Divider came flying out of the explosion and back to Diant's hands.

Diant, panting with the effort, jumped down off the railing back into the stands. Cautiously, he approached the wreckage.

"Blizzaga!"

Diant dodged back as shards of ice came flying out of the hole, but not fast enough. The rapidly expanding freeze quickly overtook him and ensnared his legs, freezing him in place amid jagged shards of ice that he barely managed to deflect with his blades. However, despite avoiding serious injury, the spell had frozen his legs to the floor, preventing any chance of escaping another such attack.

"That was impressive," said Selim, walking out of the wreckage, bloody, tattered, but looking quite capable of finishing off a boy frozen in place. "If the pause between that energy attack and when you threw your weapons at me hadn't been there to give me time to erect a barrier, you might have actually won. A shame you'll never get the chance to perfect your technique."

Selim stood before him and raised his hand, blue and black energies swirling together in his palm that he held above Diant, readying the final strike.

"Diant!"

There was a flash of black, then Selim stumbled back, clutching the bloody slash across his chest. Between him and the boy was Anya, Shadow Lance out.

"Diant, are you alright?" she asked, turning to face him. However, she flinched back when she saw the stormy look on his face.

"Stay out of this!" he yelled at her. "I don't need the darkness to win! _Divider_!"

Grabbing the black blade in both hands and reversing the grip, he brought it slamming down into the ice that bound his feet, shattering it instantaneously. Roaring in fury, he charged at the summoner, who only watched, an unconcerned look on his face. As Diant drew close, Selim merely lifted a hand, making a quick motion with it.

"Anima!" he shouted. As he did, the air around him shook with the pressure as a dark portal ripped open in the ground. The huge, mummified Aeon erupted from the pool of darkness, towering over the combatants and sending Diant flying into the air as it slammed into him on the way up. The boy flew towards the sky in rapid ascent, his weapons tumbling away from him. Back on the ground, Selim, no longer calm, stared up with wild eyes, his bloodied face the very picture of madness. "Hahaha! Now will you accept the darkness? It's too late, Diant! If you will not accept the darkness, then it will devour you whole!"

Diant tumbled through the air, coming to the height of his uncontrolled flight right above Anima's gaping maw, from which various dark shapes were emerging.

"Like _hell_!" he shouted. As he did, a dark aura surrounded him, and then focused around his arm. Solidifying into the many tendrils that made up the suit of his Dark Form, the darkness formed a long gauntlet from shoulder to fingertips, pulsing with dark power. Suddenly accelerating down, Diant let out a roar of fury as his shadow-enshrouded hand came slamming into Anima's face, crushing it. For a moment, they stood in balance, the boy with the dark arm pressed against the broken face of the summoned Aeon. Then there was another pulse of darkness from the arm and Diant went ripping through the summoned beast, tearing through it as if it were paper. He came slamming into the ground, sending chunks of concrete and bleacher flying into the air along with the shredded bits of Anima. Then there was an explosion of darkness, and the debris disintegrated in an instant, the blast knocking Anya off her feet, and slamming Selim into the ground.

The summoner, his magic defeated, his summon beaten, his body in ruins, struggled to get back up, only to see the dark boy standing above him, eclipsed in the afternoon sun as he stared down at Selim in hatred, darkness seething from his deadly arm.

"Do it," sneered the Guado through bloody, broken teeth. Diant obligingly brought his arm up for the final strike.

"Diant, no!" shouted Anya, as she had when he had been about to finish off his replica. This time, though, he didn't hesitate.

There was a sickening crunch followed by a swirling burst of darkness, and then the whole stadium shook with the impact as Selim Guado was completely annihilated. Diant stood hunched over where there had once been a living person, and now as only a dark stain on the stadium bleachers. He was breathing hard, and his eyes were slowly coming back into focus now that the object of his hatred was gone.

"What…" he gasped, standing up straight and staring at his hands in horror. "What have I become?"

* * *

"So this is what I am now," murmured Diant numbly as he walked out of the White Room. "A monster." 

"You're not a monster, Diant," said Anya quietly, walking besides him.

"Then why did I kill him?" he asked her, looking over at her lost eyes. This was a side of Diant that she hadn't seen before. Anya had seen him cold, determined, angered, cocky, frustrated, but never so lost, so pained.

"He was someone evil, right? Like Valentine," she said.

"I didn't kill Valentine. We didn't kill Selim the first time," Diant disagreed. "Kir wouldn't have killed him. Kairi too. Or… him."

"Him?"

"…Daxtin," he said, turning away as if ashamed to say the name. Anya wasn't really sure how she felt about that treatment of her best friend's name.

"Anyway, you're not a monster," she said. "You're you, Diant. You just dealt with someone evil that needed dealing with. Besides, he goaded you into it."

"You don't understand," he said, shaking his head. "This is only the beginning."

There was an uncomfortable silence as they ascended the stairs up the 7th floor.

"Well… how do you know these people, these places, anyway?" she asked, changing the subject. "Valentine and Selim, Rabanastre, Luca and Balamb?"

"It was when I first left Destiny Islands with Kairi and Kir," he said. "There was an… accident and our home was destroyed. That was when Kir became the key bearer. While trying to find our way home, we went from world to world, defeating the Heartless. There were several masterminds who controlled them, trying to devour the worlds and open Kingdom Hearts. Among these were Valentine and Selim, among others. Valentine had used them in a plot to assassinate the Prince of Rabanastre and try to take military control with his power as Judgemaster. Selim used them, along with his summon Anima, to try and interrupt the Blitzball World Cup, holding all-star Lucas's girlfriend hostage. A man, or god, I suppose, called Hades was carrying out a five-hundred year grudge against a warrior named Auron. Each was using the Heartless for their own ends, along with conquering their worlds with them. We beat them one by one."

"So these are memories from your adventures with Kir and Kairi," said Anya, nodding. However, there was something else. "What about what they said about you looking into their research or power? What about… Ansem?"

"During a fight with Valentine and Selim's leader, the three of us were split up," explained Diant quietly. "That was when I gained… this."

He held up a hand, and instantly, darkness encircled it, wrapping his arm in its tendrils, forming a dark gauntlet, highlighted in red. Flickering tongues of blue flame danced about his fingers. It was the hand of his Dark Form. He stared at it with grim satisfaction at his regained control over it. With a flick of his wrist, he dismissed it in a mist of darkness.

"Anyway, let's get going," he said abruptly, heading for the door to the next White Room. "I want to leave this castle as soon as I can."

* * *

"Where is this?" asked Anya timidly, looking about at their gloomy surroundings. 

"The Underworld," said Diant morbidly. "How fitting, to have to face the judge of the dead." He sighed and shook his head at the caverns full of pyreflies. "This is the domain of that god I told you about, Hades."

"The Underworld? Like, where the dead go?" Anya didn't sound like she liked the idea of being in the land of the deceased.

"Well, in this world anyway. See all those lights? Those are pyreflies, the souls of the dead," Diant explained, stepping into a glowing cloud of the gently drifting lights. "People who were strong in life can gather other pyreflies to them and form bodies. It's kind of like Nobodies. Auron was one such warrior." He paused and looked about at the faintly luminescent cavern. "I wonder if we'll see him. I know we won't meet Orpheus, but Auron wasn't exactly a good guy…"

"Yeah, I wouldn't worry about it, kid," came a sarcastic reply. Diant, suddenly cautious, spun around looking for the source of the voice, aura blades in hand.

"Hades, come out where I can see you," he shouted at the cavern.

"Yeah, yeah, hold your horses," said the god of the dead, appearing in a poof of smoke. "Gods, you're an impatient little bugger, aren't you?"

"I don't have time for your games, Hades," growled Diant.

"Is that so?" said Hades in mock surprise. "But you seemed so eager to talk to me before."

"That was different," he said defensively. "That was…"

"That was when you were Ansem's little pawn, diving into every pool of darkness you could find," Hades finished for him. "Diant, Diant, little boy who got so obsessed with darkness and power that he forgot why he was trying to get it in the first place. Really, you should thank me for not sharing any of my knowledge with you or you could have fallen even deeper into your sad little tragedy. Mighta poked someone's eye out."

"Shut up," said Diant. "That was then. I'm different now."

"Oh, really now? Still seems like you're making the rounds with all the usual suspects to me, and still chasing after Ansem," pointed out the god with a cynical grin.

"I'm not chasing after Ansem; I'm just trying to go home," asserted Diant angrily. "If that bastard happens to get in my way, I'll cut him down."

"With what? Your darkness?" sneered Hades.

"You want to see it? I'll show it to you!" roared Diant, charging at him. He wove back and forth, dodging the miniature explosions Hades sent at him from his fingertips, jumping over the tiny gouts of flame. Lashing out with the aura blades, Diant clashed with Hades' fiery claws, Joiner and Divider rebounding off the arcs of flame before swinging back in.

"You wanna fight? Let's fight!" yelled Hades, turning about, his arms out with streams of fire pouring from them, carving a circle in the ground. "Take this!"

There was a explosion of light and roaring flame as the circle burst skywards into a pillar of fire, throwing Diant back. As the flames died out, Hades stepped out, his blue flames and skin now a burning hot red.

Not at all discouraged, Diant charged back in, lashing out with both aura blades in quick succession. However, they had no effect now. Hades responded with a harsh stream of flames that forced the boy back. Taking the distance approach, Diant threw Joiner at Hades, only for it to bounce off harmlessly before returning to hand.

"Hah, you may be no hero, but that doesn't change the fact that your weapons are worthless here," laughed Hades, lobbing a ball of fire at Diant. The boy attempted to block, but to no effect; the explosion of flame sent him crashing to the ground. "They're really too good for your own good!"

"Well how about this!"

Hades grunted in pain as a dark slash cut across his chest, sending him stumbling back. Anya was there, Shadow Lance extended as she lashed out at the god, forcing him to back off from his target.

"Tch, Heartless," hissed the god. "The Underworld Curse doesn't affect the dark, does it?"

"Thanks for the tip," said Diant, getting to his feet. Dismissing the white blade, his arm became engulfed in darkness. As the dark gauntlet formed, deathly blue flames filled his hand. Charging forwards, he lunged, throwing his arm forwards and launching the ghostly fireball at Hades. "Take this! Dark Firaga!"

The burning projectile crashed into the stricken god, exploding in a burst of blue flames. However, as the smoke cleared, it showed Hades to be still standing, his clothes a little singed but otherwise unharmed.

"Even if the darkness can harm me, your use of it is so weak," grinned Hades as the dark gauntlet faded back into Diant's normal jacket sleeve. "You're barely even touching aren't you? Afraid to grip it full on?"

"Then feel darkness, fully embraced!" shouted Anya, extending her Shadow Lance out to the side. As she did, the darkness slowly engulfed her arm, sliding across her pale skin and across her body, ribbons of shadow pouring off her like smoke. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them, they were now black pits of darkness, with only the tiniest spark of white in their centers, surrounded by radiating lines. Giving a cry, she lunged forwards.

"You, on the other hand, are just weak," sneered Hades. With a flick of his wrist, and a burst of flame, he sent the attacking girl flying back, her weapon spinning out of her hands into the air. Anya was sent sprawling on the ground with a cry of pain. The Shadow Lance sliced through several dangling stalactites before finally embedding itself into the stony ceiling of the cavern.

"Hey, leave her alone!" shouted Diant, charging at him. There was a flash of darkness, and then suddenly, he was speeding forwards twice as fast. Below, on his legs were the same boots that his Replica had worn, the ones that went with the rest of his Dark Form. Leaping at Hades, he lashed out with both blades, both hits reflecting, before swinging his legs around in vicious kicks. The first struck Hades in the shoulder, but before the second could land, the god grabbed him out of the air by the ankle with a burning grip before swinging him around and throwing him into the air.

Tumbling through the scattering clouds of pyreflies, Diant had only moments to react before he came falling back down at Hades. Swinging with both aura blades, he met with Hades' fiery claws, rebounding him a little ways back up. Reorienting himself, he dismissed both aura blades and lashed out with his feet before kicking off the lord of the dead's raised arms, launching himself high into the air. As he neared the ceiling, his eyes locked onto what he sought: the long spar of darkness stuck in the cavern roof.

"Mind if I borrow this?" he shouted as he ripped the Shadow Lance from its embedding. As he did, the weapon became engulfed in deathly blue flames.

"What!?" demanded Hades, staring in disbelief at the boy, momentarily suspending in the air as he drew his arm back. With a tremendous shout, Diant threw the burning spear with all his might, the weapon striking down the lord of the dead in a burst of flame.

"Not done yet!" shouted Diant as he came falling down into the flames. Drawing Joiner and Divider, he spun the blades once in hand before shooting down, slamming into Hades with a powerful overhead cut, gouts of flame bursting out upon impact. "Hell Breaker!"

There was an explosion of flames and Diant came flying backwards out of it, his feet skidding across the ground as he dug his blades into the sandy cavern floor to slow his landing, the Shadow Lance shooting right past his head as it came tumbling out of the blast.

"That's it! You are such _toast_!" roared Hades in anger, stumbling out of the flames, his own flames mingling with the fires that still yet burned across his body. Charging forwards, he lashed out before Diant could react, knocking him off his feet and to the ground. Raising a fistful of flames, he looked down at him with crazed eyes. "I'm gonna _kill_ you!"

"No."

Hades looked up just as Anya's hand snatched the spinning Shadow Lance out of the air. There was a flash of darkness, and before he knew it, she was right in front of him. This time, she was nothing but a dark shadow before him in the shape of a young girl. When she lashed out, it was not something he could shrug off.

Hades went flying back, clutching across the darkly pulsing slash across his chest that seethed with dark smoke.

"Fine then," he panted angrily. "Get out of my sight!"

A snap of his fingers and a puff of smoke, and he was gone.

Slowly, as quiet returned to the cavern, Anya's aura faded, the darkness withdrawing back into her lance before that too disappeared. She turned to Diant then, a relieved smile on her face.

"Are you okay?" she asked, holding out a hand to him.

Diant looked at her for a moment before giving a short laugh. Why was he getting saved by this girl? A Heartless, no less. Was he really so weak? She openly used darkness and yet…

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, shaking his head and taking her hand. She pulled him to his feet, though only just barely; regardless of dark power, she was still quite a bit more petite than he. "But I had to rely on the darkness again."

"Is it really so bad?" she asked him softly. "Do you really hate my powers that much?"

"I… don't know," he finished lamely. "But the more I use the darkness, the closer it bring me to Ansem. The Dark Form… was his gift. He was the one that wanted me to research the powers of Valentine and the others."

"Why did you?" asked Anya curiously.

"I didn't know who he was then," said Diant. "He was just a voice then."

"But why did you look into the darkness at all, if you helped defeat people like Valentine?" she continued. "You and Kir and Kairi must have worked hard to beat them, so why would you want to try and bring back their powers?"

"It was for their sake," he said. Then he added quietly, "At first, anyway."

Anywa waited, but he didn't say anymore, only stared into the dark depths of the Underworld cavern and its swarms of pyreflies. Trying to find something else to look at in the uncomfortable silence, it was then she saw the light. Illuminating a set of carved set of stairs were the rays of the sun, pouring out from a door that let upwards and out.

"Come on," she said excitedly, grabbing Diant by the sleeve and pulling him out of his brooding. "Let's go, Diant. Come with me."

And although he didn't feel like it, Diant couldn't help but smile, if only a little.

* * *

_New Format: I'm going to start putting author's notes at the end of story now, so I can talk about the chapter now, instead of next chapter (whenever that happens). Got a little busy with downloading Touhou stuff and whatnot, so sorry it's later than usual this time. However, there's good news: I finally finished all my new character designs, so I uploaded them. Most of them are for Sin of Remembrance, so you won't get to see them now, but the ones for The Forgotten Castle are uploaded to the gallery at my fake homepage, http://z3.invisionfree(dot com)/lghsanime/index.php?showtopic330&st0. Of course, some of them are still using my old drawings, mostly the characters that were featured in Memories of Nobody, so the drawing styles are kind of different. I like to think I've improved some since then..._

_As for this chapter, at Aloria's request (yay, Aloria's back!), I've added more non-fighting scenes, and we're delving a little deeper into Diant's past (basically, the events that preceded Memories of Nobody, when Kir was the Keyblade Master and they first fought Ansem, Seeker of Darkness)(Remember Kairi's confusion when she first met Ansem the Wise?). Apparently it wasn't clear where Diant had met Valentine and the others before. Anyway, this chapter is the start of a change in Diant's view of Anya; he's starting to sympathize more with her, or maybe see more of him in her, in a less negative way than he did before.  
_

_Next Chapter: Back up top, Daxtin and Rann continue to lose their memories...  
_


	15. Fraying Memories

Chapter 14: Fraying Memories

* * *

"Diant? Diant, are you here?" shouted Daxtin as they came out of the White Room. Only silence answered.

"He must have gone higher up into the castle," said Rann.

"I'm worried now," said Daxtin as they walked down the hall. "I mean, he was acting strange before, but that last time, it seemed like something was really hurting him when he ran away."

"Well, if he cares about Naminé as much as it seems, I'm sure we'll see him again before this is all over," replied Rann, ascending the stairs up to the 9th floor. "Of course, it'd be easier if we didn't keep meeting nuisances like this."

Looking to see what he meant, Daxtin spotted the source of his annoyance before the doors to the next White Room.

"Karie," he said unenthusiastically. Unlike the clearly malicious Sam, or the mysterious third sister, Karie had seemed deceptively innocent, bordering on ditzy and inept. Even having seen her fight before, Daxtin couldn't help but not really see her as a real threat.

"Ooh, you remembered!" said the young girl enthusiastically.

"What do you want?" asked Rann irritably.

"I'm here to stop you from reaching Naminé, of course!" she replied cheerfully.

"That's what I don't get," he said. "You guys want Daxtin to keep going, yet you keeping trying to stop him also. Why is that?"

"Well, it's because… why was it now?" she said, folding her arms as she thought about it, her face screwed up in concentration. "Oh, yeah, Luciella said it was something like, 'In order to temper the subject's resolve and further his drive to continue on'. I don't know what that means though," she admitted sheepishly.

"So, by getting in our way, you think it'll make us fight harder," said Daxtin, readying his aura blades. "Well, you've got that right!"

Daxtin charged at Karie, anticipating and deflecting her initial spell, a blazing fireball. Jumping at her, he managed to land a few glancing blows before she let off a small burst of electricity, pushing him back and giving her room to escape. Hovering off the ground momentarily, she shot down the hall past Rann, touching back down lightly as she readied her next spells.

Rann turned to face her just as she sent a volley of fireballs flying at him. He blocked and knocked the burning projectiles away with a slash of his blade, then charged forwards at her. He struck out with a powerful horizontal slash, only to have her glide back out of the way. However, as she did, Daxtin's aura blades came flying past, slamming into her and knocking her down the hall, sliding across the smooth stone floor all the way to the head of the stairs.

"Aww, you guys are mean!" she pouted as she leapt nimbly to her feet. "I guess I'll have to use _that_."

The two warriors watched cautiously, weapons at the ready, unsure of what she was up to. As they looked on, Karie began to glow with multicolored light, red, blue and yellow. A set of runes set in a circular seal appeared at her feet, then a moment of double, triple-vision. Then a flash of light, and where there had once been one girl, there were now three. Each one was themed to a new color; though all still wore the same bell-bottom jeans and cutely smiling faces, the honey-blonde hair and white long-sleeve shirts had now become red, blue and yellow for each of the three doppelgangers.

"Just great," groaned Rann, eying the new triplets with more annoyance than dread.

"Don't take me lightly!" the three girls said simultaneously, before scattering. Daxtin took off after the blue Karie while Rann went after the red one, both minding to keep an eye out for the yellow girl.

"Ice!" shouted the blue Karie, swinging an arm at her pursuer. Daxtin prepared to block against a hail of ice shards. Instead, he was faced with giant spikes of ice shooting out from the ground at him. Dodging back, he ducked as the spiky wall of ice shattered, a singular enormous javelin of frozen water flying at him.

Further down the hall, Rann was facing similar problems. He led off the attack with a spell of his own, flinging a large fireball from his free hand at the red Karie, planning to follow it up with a slash from his gunblade. However, before the flames ever hit, the red Karie responded with flames of her own.

"Fire!" she yelled, raising both arms. A towering wall of flame shot up from the ground, then surged forwards, completely engulfing Rann's fireball without even slowing. The gunbladier was forced to dodge back from the wave of fire, barely out distancing it as the flames died down.

Evading their target's deadly counterattacks, Daxtin and Rann bumped backs in the center of the hall, driven back by the powerful spells.

"How'd she get so much stronger?" asked Daxtin, looking wildly about at each of the three identical girls.

"Before, she was split over trying to use three different elements," reasoned Rann, looking about and calmly assessing the situation. "Now, by specializing, she can now use each element to the fullest."

"Thunder!" shouted the yellow Karie, pointing both arms at the pair. The two dodged to each side as the ceiling erupted with lightning, bolts flying up and down and incinerating the spot where they had just been.

"We need to close the distance on them," shouted Rann. "Concentrate on the yellow one; her attacks can't be used as barriers."

"Got it!" said Daxtin. Both of them ran away from the blue and red girls towards the yellow Karie. As they began to close the distance, she began to start her next spell, but Daxtin threw both aura blades, forcing her to knock them away with swift bolts of lightning and interrupting her casting. This gave Rann time to get in close, the point of his gunblade sending up sparks as he dragged it along the ground for a powerful upwards slash. Finger on the trigger, he brought it up to finish her off.

He never got that far.

Twin bursts of flame and ice suddenly slammed into his back, the two streams of elemental power barely missing Daxtin as they flew past and took out his companion. Caught by the shock of it in mid-stride, Daxtin came to sliding halt just a little ways from the yellow Karie, staring in surprise at the fallen form of Rann sprawled on the ground.

"I told you not to take me lightly," said Karie with a little smile. "Really, if you're so naïve, do you really think you can save Naminé? You're just like that Diant; a toy."

"Don't take me lightly either!" shouted Daxtin, shooting forwards. "Mage Masher!"

Hitting her with a powerful upwards slash, he sent the yellow clone flying into the air. Then, bringing both arms back, he slammed both Joiner and Divider points first in her arms as a large runic seal appeared in the air behind her, pinning her to the arcane design. Bringing back both arms, blue-green swirling energy gathered in his empty hands. Giving a yell, Daxtin brought both arms forwards, slamming them into the bound girl's stomach in an explosion of power. The seal shattered, as did the yellow Karie, eliciting gasps of surprise from the other two doppelgangers.

"You wanted me to fight harder? Then take this!" yelled Daxtin, grabbing both aura blades as they fell from where they had pinned up Karie's lightning incarnation. "Rune Killer!"

He flung both blades down the hallway, magical runes appearing in the air then shattering as each aura blade went past. The blue Karie managed to duck under the flying black and white blades, but both aura blades, inset orbs burning bright, slammed into the fire incarnation, exploding in a blast of energy. She shattered instantly.

Daxtin only stared angrily at the remaining Karie, not even looking as he caught both returning aura blades. He took a step down the hall towards her and she scrambled back.

"Aww, you're so mean!" she said again as the her blue hair faded back to honey-blonde and her shirt back to white. With that, she turned on the spot and disappeared in a swirl of darkness.

Daxtin let out a sigh, and then slumped in place, his built up anger dying out. Then, suddenly remembering, he quickly turned to where Rann had fallen.

"Rann, are you alright?" he asked in concern. However, the warrior in question was already sitting up, rubbing his back ruefully.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he said, getting to his feet. "Not bad, kid. Didn't know you had an anti-magic skill like that."

"Neither did I," Daxtin admitted. "I guess it's like they said when we came into the castle: my stuff's kind of by instinct." He paused then, remembering the attack. "Weird, though. I felt like I've used that one before, but I don't remember."

"Just chalk it up as something else we've forgotten," said Rann with a sigh. "Let's get going before we forget anything else."

* * *

"Well that was a spectacular loss," said Sam disdainfully as Karie appeared in the room in a swirl of darkness.

"Hey, I didn't know he had any abilities like that!" pouted the younger sister.

"If you had been paying any attention to Diant down below, you would have," said Luciella quietly, tightly squeezing her stuffed rabbit.

"Pfft, who cares about that loser?" said Sam, dismissing her advice casually. "He's just another darkling; even worse, one that's afraid of the dark."

"That doesn't change the fact that he is Daxtin's Other," replied the quiet sister. "He's worth studying."

"Speaking of Diant, where's the other one?" asked Karie, looking about.

"Oh, the replica?" said Sam, a smile suddenly lighting her face. She turned and spoke mockingly to Luciella, "Yeah, where _is_ your little toy? He seems to have run off on his own. Oh wait, I know: I'm sure it's part of your clever scheme for your replica to go AWOL and hide in some forgotten corner; my mistake."  
Luciella didn't rise to the bait and respond, but she did begin aggressively gnawing on her rabbit's plush head.

"You're both pathetic," laughed the red head.

"Hey, it's not like I was _supposed_ to beat them," protested Karie. "I was supposed to get him to unlock his full potential or whatever. I did that, right?" She turned to Luciella for approval.

"Mmm," agreed the gothic girl, easing up on the abuse she was inflicting to her inanimate companion. "All according to plan."

All of it, going exactly according to plan.

* * *

"What is this place?" asked Daxtin, looking about in wonder. Behind them, endless wastelands. Before them, a gleaming white citadel, its walls towering above them.

"Welcome to Kami," said a familiar voice. Turning, they saw once again the masked agent of Organization XIII walking towards them. "This is the palace of a witch who manipulates paper. The whole palace, and this entire world, or so I'm told, is made of paper. Yet," he muttered, two wheels of flame appearing in his gloved hands. As they slowed in their spinning and settled onto his fingers, they were revealed to be two large chakrams, all red and silver. "It's made of paper, but it won't. Burn. Down!"

He accented the last three words with flaming strikes of his chakrams, the burning wheels flying and slashing against the doors before flying back to their master, each strike traveling mere inches from Rann and Daxtin. True to the man's observations, there was nothing more than a few burn marks on it.

"Oh, it's you again, um…" said Daxtin, suddenly blanking for a name.

"Man, you guys have some memory," sighed the masked figure. "It's Roxtarit. I told you to memorize it, but it looks like you forgot. Is that why you never showed up at the castle?"

"Oh, sorry," Daxtin apologized. "We kind of got sidetracked."

"Heartless, am I right?" said Roxtarit conversationally. "They can be a real nuisance. Anyway, make sure and drop by next time you're in the area."  
"Sure," agreed Daxtin.

"Didn't you say Organization XIII was a _bad_ group?" noted Rann dryly. "Are you sure you should be dropping in for visits with them?"

"Hey, we're not _all_ bad," said the masked member lightly.

"So are you one of the bad ones?" asked Daxtin, a little cautiously.

"Maybe," replied Roxtarit flippantly, "maybe not. You'll just have to drop by and find out." He turned one last look at the walls before shaking his head. "Anyway, I'm outta here. Was supposed to look around, but if I can't get inside, well..." Snapping his fingers, he summoned a dark portal. "Now where did that fox-face, Kensuke go?"

Stepping through, he left them without a further thought.

"Well that was… odd," said Rann, unimpressed by this second encounter with the masked pyromaniac. He turned back to the problem of the doors. "Any idea how to get in?"

"Just one," said Daxtin. There was a flash of light, and the black aura blade appeared in his hands. Lifting it, he leveled it at the huge gates. "Divider!"

There was a flash of light, and then the massive white slowly parted before them, leading into the tranquil gardens of Emeline's paper citadel.

* * *

"Well, hello there," greeted an easy-going voice as they entered the main hall. Leaning against the wall was a smiling man with spiky blonde hair in a black coat, the same as Roxtarit. His slim eyes and sly grin gave him a mildly fox-like appearance. "And what might you be doing here?"

"Just passing through," said Rann evasively. "And you?"

"Oh, the same," replied the relaxed blonde, before adding, "_tabun_."

"That coat," said Daxtin, feeling that, like Roxtarit, this man was oddly familiar. "You're in Organization XIII, aren't you?"  
"_Pin-pon_. That'd be correct," he said, flashing them a grin. "Name's Kensuke. I'm number V, the Lightning Lord."

"Kensuke, huh? I think Roxtarit was looking for you," said Daxtin.

"Well, I'm sure he can wait," replied Kensuke with a shrug. "So, you two are here to see the witch, Emeline?"

"Is that her name? Yeah, I guess we are," answered Daxtin.

"Besides being powerful, she's supposed to have the power of prophecy," said Kensuke. "They say she can read the future in her book. Or maybe that she writes it there."

"Well, which one is it? Does she read the future or write it?" asked Rann.

"Yes," replied the blonde with a grin. "Anyway, I suppose I'll go see what Roxtarit wants. Not all that interested in prophecy anyway; I prefer to make my own future." With a wave of his hand, he opened a dark portal, the same as Roxtarit had. "_Ja ne_."

Stepping through, he left them alone in the castle of paper.

* * *

"This is the final room," said Daxtin as they stood before the ornate doors. The entire castle had been eerily empty, though every now and then, Daxtin had sworn he'd heard something moving around, like the sound of shuffling papers. Rann hadn't said anything, but from how he had kept watch the entire time, the boy suspected the warrior knew what the source was and just didn't feel like elaborating. Still, whatever had been moving around out of sight, he had never caught sight of it, or them, as the case might be.

"Well, let's go then," replied Rann in a bored tone.

Shrugging, Daxtin reached up and knocked.

"Come in," came the calm reply. At that, the doors parted on their own, revealing a serene white bedroom, with a young blonde girl in a navy blue skirt and blouse sitting at a small round table, just big enough for the large tome she was writing in.

"Are you Emeline?" asked the boy cautiously.

"I am," she replied, not looking up from her writing as they came into the room. "And you are?"  
"This is Rann," he said, indicating the quiet warrior, "and I'm Daxtin."

"Daxtin," she murmured, pausing. "Daxtin, Daxtin. D-A-X-T-I-N. D to the fore, then I-A-N-T. X is extra. Diant. So that would make you his Nobody."

"You know Diant?" said Daxtin in surprise.

"I know _of_ Diant," said Emeline, looking up for the first time. Curious blue eyes that betrayed an intelligence far beyond what her school-girl appearance suggested stared out at him. "And I know _of_ you. You're the one. The one in prophecy."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" asked Daxtin, a little weirded out.

"Yes, perfect," she said softly to herself, standing up and closing her book. "Finally, the one who can forge my other into the weapon necessary to destroy that superfluous vessel, Xatheron. But first he needs to be molded to his purpose." She was muttering to herself as if she had forgotten the other two were even in the room. "Perhaps there. Yes, it would be ironic to raise another memory-wiped Nobody in the same town." She turned her attention back to the boy, her eyes now hard and calculating. "Tell me, have you ever been to Twilight Town?"

"Where?" sputtered Daxtin, backing away. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't run," she said lightly, giving a flick of her wrist in their direction. As she did, the doors slammed shut behind them. "I need you."

"Who is he to you?" asked Rann, gunblade drawn.

"It's not who he is," said Emeline with a little smile, "but _what_ he is."

The girl threw out her hand at them and streams of paper shot from her sleeves. The two dodged back, but they soon ran out of space in the small room, their backs hitting the door. They could only block as the flurry of pages smashed into them, slicing through the door and sending them tumbling back into the hallway beyond.

"What do you mean, that I'm the one in prophecy?" demanded Daxtin, brandishing Joiner and Divider at Emeline as she came walking out of the wreckage of her doors. He jumped back as a spike of paper shot out of the ground at him.

"Why should I tell you? You're just a pawn in my endgame," she said dismissively. Holding her book open at them, she unleashed several long streamers of paper at them, questing white tendrils that flew through the air to entangle them. As Daxtin dodged back away from them, knocking away the ends with his blades, Rann waded into the thick of them, cutting and blasting away with gunblade and flame.

Emeline made a disdainful face as she saw the warrior coming towards her, and with a wave of her hand, summoned a flock of hovering papers about her head. With a few motions of her fingers, the floating pages folded themselves into razor sharp stars, and with a flick of her wrist, were sent speeding towards the scarred brunette.

"Ha!" shouted Rann, focusing and suddenly releasing his battle aura in a blast of power. The wave of energy, tinged with flames, burned right through the paper projectiles, instantly turning them to clouds of ash. However, as the raised an arm to wave the ash away from his eyes, tendrils of paper shot from the walls and floor, wrapping around his limbs like imprisoning fetters. Unable to move, he could only watch as Emeline walked slowly towards him, a long blade of paper extending out of one sleeve.

"Divider!" shouted Daxtin, the black blade already flying through the air. The aura blade sliced through the binding papers and flew on past Rann to attack Emeline herself. With the wave of her hand, she erected a shield, the aura blade bouncing off it. However, it was immediately destroyed as Rann slashed through it.

"Obnoxious," she hissed as she jumped back out of the way of another attack from the gunbladier. "I don't need you. Now, disappear."

As she said this, she opened her book at him, a dark void forming between its pages. However, before she could unleash whatever she was planning, a beam of light struck into its center.

"Joiner!" yelled Daxtin, the beam eminating from his white blade. There was a flash of light, and then Emeline's book was shut, and judging by how she struggled with it, stuck that way.

"Hmph," she muttered, raising a hand to point a finger at her book. The tip of it began to glow. "Do you really think this can stop me? As if I can't undo this."

"But can you undo it before I cut you down?" asked Rann, his blade to her throat.

"Interesting," she said, smiling slightly. The smile widened into a grin. "Just try it."

The light at the end of her finger and her book flashed bright, and Rann struck her down. In an instant, his gunblade slashed through her form, cutting her in half. However, a moment later, the true result was revealed; tatters of shredded paper fell down where he had destroyed her, and the real Emeline was revealed still standing a few paces back, her book now open and ready.

"Fun," she murmured fondly. "If you hadn't paused to ask me that, I might not have been able to manufacture a replacement in time." She sighed and flicked back a stray strand of blonde hair. "Interesting. I suppose I can let you pass. And maybe even dispense a little advice."

"Just like that?" asked Rann suspiciously, lowering, but not sheathing his blade.

"Why not? The boy's more interesting wandering about than the pawn I might fashion from him," she said. She smiled then, looking directly at Daxtin. "You might even be saving me some trouble; now that I think about it, you could be just the wildcard to ruin my plans. Perhaps its better this way."

"You said something about prophecy, and me," said Daxtin, insistent. "What did you mean?"

"You are the Nobody with a Heart," she said simply, as if that explained it all.

"But Nobodies don't _have_ hearts," said Daxtin, confused.

"_Exactly_," she said with a satisfied smirk. "And that's what makes you special." She shook her head with a little laugh, "Of course, being so special just makes your lot in life so much more dangerous. The Queen of Thorns is your enemy now, but the one you should truly be wary of is the Doll Master." She turned then to Rann. "What you seek is not here; you'll only find painful illusions in this place."

"What I… seek?" said the warrior, a little puzzled, a little suspicious.

"Anyway, visiting hours are over," said Emeline dismissively. "I'll have to fix those doors now; the design is _so_ hard to get right. Get going already."

She turned and walked away from them and into her bedroom, a thin, simple looking set of doors appearing in the doorway behind her.

"Well, we better go before she changes her mind," said Daxtin. "Come on."

"What I seek," murmured Rann to himself. "What _am_ I seeking?"

* * *

_Touhou Project: An excellent series of shoot-em-up games. Too bad the older ones don't have translations. Anyway, that's my new hobby is trying to play through all of them. Anyway, I'm not sure if having Roxtarit be a recurring Illusion in multiple White Rooms is correct, but its fun anyway, and works well now that Daxtin and Rann are at the point where they forget really where they are and that these are illusions within Castle Oblivion.  
Kensuke Vocabulator:  
Tabun: Probably  
Pin-pon: ding-ding (buzzer sound for being correct, a la game shows)  
Ja ne: See ya  
_


	16. History of a Scar

Chapter 15: History of a Scar

* * *

"So, Rann, have you ever heard of anyone called the Queen of Thorns, or the Doll Master?" asked Daxtin as they exited the white room. His companion only shook his head. "I wonder if one of them is the one Sam and Karie are working for?" 

"Maybe," replied Rann, distantly, lost in his own thoughts. "What I seek… what am I seeking? Was I seeking something?"

"You don't know?" asked Daxtin, mildly surprised. "Isn't it why you came to this castle?"

"Yeah, I think you're right," he said, nodding. "But… I can't remember what it was." He shook his head irritably. "This is bad. I can't even remember why I came here or what that witch was talking about. How much have we forgotten?"

"Well, I know that I haven't forgotten anything important," said Daxtin confidently. "I remember that I'm here to rescue Naminé from Sam and her sisters and anyone else, and that I have to help Diant out too, since this castle's messed with his head. Then we can all go home to Destiny Islands with Kir and Anya."

"Home, huh?" murmured Rann. "Can I go back to Radiant Garden, back to…" He trailed off, a look of frustration crossing his face. "I can't remember their names."

"Well, let's hurry then and rescue Naminé so we can leave," urged Daxtin. "I'm sure your memories will come back then."

"It doesn't work that way," said a stern voice. Looking forwards in surprise, the pair saw Diant, still in his Dark Form, coming down the stairs. "She's not covering up your memories; she's taking them apart."

"Diant? What are you talking about?" asked Daxtin in concern. He was wary of how Diant was moving; every now and then his movements were accompanied by an erratic twitch, as if he was having problems controlling his body. "Diant, where's Naminé?"

"Naminé? Naminé…" he said, trailing off. Suddenly, a crazed look in his eyes, he was yelling at them. "You can't have her! You're just a Nobody; you can't be with her!" He groaned then, clutching his head, as if his outburst had drained him too far.

"Diant, what's wrong? You seem kind of… off," said Daxtin, watching cautiously, wanting to move closer to help the other boy, but afraid to do so.

"Off? Shut up!" yelled Diant abruptly. "I'm just like him, no different! No, I'm better than him! I'm _real_, I swear I am!" He stood there, panting in exertion. His mouth twitched into a twisted smile, and Joiner and Divider appeared in his hands. "Heh. It's _you_. You're the fake here. You're just a Nobody. If I get rid of you, I'll be one step closer…"

"Diant?" said Daxtin, backing away.

"Draw your weapons, kid," warned Rann, taking out his gunblade.

"No, I'm not going to fight him," he disagreed. "There's something wrong with him." He turned his attention back to his erratic Other. "Diant. Diant, you have to remember: we're friends. We both helped defeat No Heart. We're both here to save Naminé. This hatred against me, whatever memories you have that are making you feel this way, they're fake, okay? Fake."

"Don't call me _fake_!" shouted Diant, launching himself at them, blades drawn.

Daxtin was unprepared for the sudden attack; Rann, however, was not. The scarred warrior swiftly blocked Diant's attack, a strong slash of the gunblade sending him stumbling back. He followed the attack up with a blast of fire, but Diant lashed out, waves of darkness rolling off his blades, crashing into and eliminating the fireball. Then he was back on the offensive; Diant charged forwards, dodging under Rann's more powerful, but ultimately, slower attacks and striking out at him as he ran past. Turning on his heels, Diant was already charging his next attack, the blue fires forming in his palm as he dismissed Joiner.

"Dark Firaga!" he shouted, launching the burning shadow fire. Rann, unable to turn in time, could only partly block, taking most of the blast directly in the back. He was sent stumbling, but before Diant could capitalize on this weakness, Daxtin was between them.

"Diant, snap out of it!" he pleaded, striking half-heartedly with his aura blades before defending against his Other's attacks.

"Shut up! I don't have to listen to a Nobody like you!" yelled Diant, attacking harder. Every blow upon Daxtin's defending blades was like the strike of a hammer, each pounding connection sending shivers down Daxtin's arms, and changing something inside him. Slowly, his confusion and worry was being forged into something else: frustration and anger.

"Diant, stop this already!" he yelled, pushing back with all his might and flinging his Other back. The dark boy stumbled back a few steps, but immediately rebounded, lashing out with renewed fervor.

"Is that all you can do?" called Diant challengingly. "You really are just an empty husk! You'll never get to see Naminé!"

"Yes, I will!" roared Daxtin angrily. The inset orbs of Joiner and Divider glowing brightly, he struck out at Diant, crushing his hastily raised defenses and sending him flying up into the air. "Meteora!"

His blades wreathed in flames, he jumped up after his Other, striking blow after crushing blow, the magical blue-green flames spreading across his body until they had entirely engulfed Daxtin. Then, so enshrouded, he lifted both blades over his head.

"Burnout!" he yelled, shooting down and smashing through. He landed hard on the ground, the stone tiles shattering on impact as the air behind him filled with explosions. The massive fiery blast engulfed Diant completely.

Breathing hard, Daxtin turned to face his Other. Diant's Dark Form was in tatters; the tendrils of darkness that encased his body were burnt and shredded in places, though he could see them pulsing and struggling to regenerate. Diant himself was left kneeling on the burned and cracked flooring, stumbling to his feet.

"Diant, do you remember now?" asked Daxtin, watching him cautiously. Diant didn't answer as he finally stood, head slumped downwards. "Are you okay?"

There was a flash of darkness and a wave of power and Daxtin was sent stumbling back a few paces as the shockwave rolled off of his other. When it subsided, he found him facing Diant, Dark Form fully regenerated. However, despite this, his weapons weren't drawn and from how his face was still downcast, he didn't seem intent on fighting more.

"Are you okay now? I'm sorry about having to do that to you," apologized Daxtin carefully, taking a step forwards. When the boy didn't respond, he took another step forwards. "Diant?"

"No," said the dark boy shortly. "Someone else."

"What?" asked a puzzled Daxtin, stepping up to him. He put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a slight shake. "Diant?"

"Shut up, you Nobody!" roared Diant, lashing out with his arm in a wave of darkness and knocking him to the floor. Before Daxtin could recover, he was already running away, up the stairs and out of sight.

"Diant…" said Daxtin with a sigh, watching him go.

"Something's definitely weird," said Rann as he walked up, now recovered from the blow he'd taken. "That was a lot stranger than if he had lost his memories. It was like–"

"–he was someone else," finished Daxtin, remembering his Other's words. "What's going on here?"

"I don't know, but I think the only way to find out is if we get to the last floor and finally corner him, along with Sam and Karie and whoever else is behind this," said Rann, already heading up the stairs to the 10th floor. "Let's go."

"Yeah," agreed Daxtin, following. "Let's rescue Naminé."

* * *

"What the hell was that?" sputtered Sam, turning from the crystal orb they'd been looking into. 

"He's becoming unstable," said Luciella clinically.

"He didn't seem all there," noted Karie with a curious tilt to her head.

"So your toy's broken," translated Sam with a smirk. "Go figure. Well, whatever. Maybe I'll dispose of him for you."

"How considerate," drawled the dark sister sarcastically. "But I'd prefer if you left my creations alone. He still holds interest for me."

"I'll crush what I want, Luciella," growled the red-head aggressively. "You don't tell me what to do."

"Sam, let it be," said a smooth, seductive voice. Turning, the girls saw that their Mistress had entered the room, stepping out from between two tall, thin black spokes, a curving section of the same metallic material connecting them into the semblance of a gateway. The portal hadn't been there seconds before.

"Yes, Mistress," she said in an uncharacteristically obedient tone.

"Even if it is a failure," said Lust pointedly, though Luciella didn't seem to pay any heed, "there is no reason to expend any effort on that clumsy fake. However," she added with a smile when she saw Sam's crestfallen look, "if he gets in the way, you have my express permissions to eliminate him."

"Nice," grinned the violent red head.

"Me too, me too!" chimed in Karie enthusiastically.

"Of course," murmured Lust indulgently. She turned her attentions then to the third sister. "I assume you have no objections?"

"No, Mistress," said Luciella taciturnly.

"Don't look so down," Sam jeered. "It's no surprise something you made fell apart. Were you really not expecting that?"

"No," she said shortly. And to herself, she thought, _In fact, I was counting on it._

* * *

"Where is this?" asked Daxtin, looking about their new surroundings. It was night, and they were standing before a looming dark castle, its high stony towers reaching up towards the stormy skies. A light rain was falling. 

All around were the sounds of battle; soldiers dressed in armor were charging towards the castle's gates, which were shattered and lying in shambles in the archway. Sounds of battle echoed from the courtyards inside, explosions of fire and bolts of lightning briefly illuminating the night sky.

"This place is…" said Rann, trailing off, his gaze transfixed on the castle before him. It seemed so familiar. What was this place? And why did the sight of it make his heart ache so?

Before he could ponder this out, a woman with spiky red, almost pink hair tied in a high, fierce ponytail, dressed in black, flame-embroidered hakama and a vest over fishnet, toting two sharp-looking katana, came running up to them.

"Okina, reporting in, Captain!" she said, coming to a halt and standing at attention before them and giving a smart salute.

"What's our status, Lieutenant?" demanded Rann, his attention wholly diverted from the castle to the soldier before him.

"We've successfully penetrated the inner doors of Darkheart Castle, sir," she said back sharply. "The Vice-Captain's already taken two squads inside under her own clearance." By the way she said it, it seemed she didn't agree with the decision.

"That's her prerogative," said Rann firmly. Sure that he had gotten his meaning across, he started walking towards the broken-toothed maw of the gates before him. "How are our forces? Casualties?"

"Minimal, sir," replied Okina, keeping pace with him as Daxtin hurried up in the rear. "Only squads five, seven and twelve have suffered any losses. However…"

"However?" asked Rann, stopping and turning towards her.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" she asked simply.

"Granted," he replied.

"Rann, the traitor's Heartless forces are innumerable," said Okina bluntly. "We're doing well for now, but every time we strike one of theirs down, two more take its place. Whenever they take down one of ours, no one takes his. We can't beat them all."

"We don't need to, Okina," replied Rann, heading off again. "We just need to stop that bastard before he uses _that_." He shook his head, flinging droplets of water, but it was really no good; his hair was already soaked through, as were his clothes, along with the entire battlefield. "Speaking of which, do we have an ETA yet?"

"Not when I last checked, but the Field Marshall might have one by now," replied Okina.

"Where is he? Do you know?" he asked, looking around. Okina only shook her head. He started shouting, struggling to be heard over the battle and the ever increasing rainfall. "Marshall? Field Marshall! Cid!"

"Hey, over here!" called a surprisingly relaxed voice. Following the voice, the three of them came to a man in brightly polished armor standing under a hastily-erected canvas awning, hunched over a mess of wires and screens, his long lance leaning against the table next to the makeshift computer set-up. Turning as they stepped in out of the rain, he regarded them with a bemused, heavy-lidded expression, a gauntleted hand stroking his spiky brown goatee which matched the mess of hair that stuck out from his head. His eyes finally fell on Daxtin, who was breathing a little hard from the brisk pace that Rann and Okina had set, and was shivering slightly from the rain. "Oh, so is this the new recruit you said you'd be bringing? What a fight to get your feet wet in, huh, kid?"

"Yeah," agreed Daxtin, nodding weakly.

"Never mind him, Cid," said Rann. "What's our ETA?"

"With this kind of set up, I can't _really_ be sure…" replied the knight technician, holding up his hands helplessly.

"Give me what you have, Field Marshall," said Rann cuttingly, using the title to stress the gravity of the situation.

"I give us about half an hour before it's finished charging," answered Cid, his face suddenly grave. "At most."

"Damn it," cursed Okina softly. Rann was stonily silent. He stood staring at the Field Marshall for a few moments more then turned sharply on his heel and headed back into the rain.

"Cid, get in contact with the fleet," he said as the others followed him out. "Have them ready to evacuate the troops. Join the Lieutenant when you're done. Okina, gather those who are still in courtyards; fortify our position at the front doorway. If we lose that, there's no hope of getting back out. Daxtin, you're with me."

"And where is that, sir?" Okina asked as Cid headed back to his outpost.

"I'm heading in after the Vice-Captain," he said, stepping over the twisted metal that once made the portcullis of Darkheart Castle. And even as he said this, he found himself wondering: who is the Vice-Captain?

* * *

The question rang in his mind, even as he cut down Heartless after Heartless with his gunblade. He had a general idea, and a sense of knowing her, but none of it came together. A face, a name, neither was forth-coming. However, this was only secondary to the task at hand. No matter what, they had to stop _him_ before he used _that_. 

"Captain, do you think it's here?" asked Daxtin as he disposed off a shadow and a Heartless soldier with successive slashes of his blades.

"Do I think what's here?" asked Rann irritably, blasting a gargoyle out of the air, the explosion casting harsh, flickering light along the walls of the hallway.

"The thing you're seeking," replied Daxtin, taking out the last Heartless by joining its feet to the ground then taking it out when it tripped.

"What I'm seeking…" murmured Rann, flicking his gunblade to remove the dark ichors that coated it. "What am I seeking?"

Shaking his head, he ran down the hall, past soldiers, some fighting, some never to fight again. Here and there among the armored figures were officers and lieutenants, distinguished by their lack of uniform and personalized battle attire. Even so, they were struggling with the masses of endless Heartless.

Charging up the stairs, Rann barreled through any Heartless that dared get in his way, sending many tumbling down the stairs behind him, and others into oblivion. Daxtin struggled to dodge the former kind and still keep up with the determined warrior.

As they came to the top of the stairs, they entered a wide room, lit solely, like the rest of the castle, by dim lamps and flashes of lightning. The faded carpet led from the stairs straight across to the large double doors, which stood open to the rooftop ramparts outside, pounding with rain. There, in the midst of the rain and thunder, was a large mass, almost indistinguishable in the rain and gloom, but Rann knew what it was. That was their target. And it was only mere yards away.

Breaking into a run, Rann and Daxtin headed for the open doors. However, before they could even make it a third of the way across the room, a figure in black armor stepped out into the middle, barring their way.

"Erion," growled Rann, readying his gunblade.

"Erion?" said Daxtin, not sure where he'd heard the name before.

"Captain Rann," said the white-haired knight venomously. "Did you really think that was the last you'd seen of me?"

"After cutting off your sword arm and watching you fall off that cliff to your death? Yeah, I kind of did," replied Rann dryly. "How did you survive?"

"That's the beauty of darkness," said the elegant man with a smile. He watched them, gauging their reactions. "Oh, don't worry. My control over it was as you saw; I fought you with my all. No, the feeble touch of shadows I had then could never have saved me. I lay there, broken among the rocks and crevasses cursing your name, feeling my life ebbing away, and the darkness only watched. But then _he_ came."

"So he's the one who brought you back," said Rann, adding this transgression to the long list of sins the traitor had to answer for. "And now he's your master."

"Master, teacher, mentor, god," listed Erion in turn. "Thanks to him, my darkness has grown one hundred fold."

"Now you're just another Heartless, aren't you?" said Rann disdainfully.

"Not yet," admitted the black knight. "I have yet to shed this empty husk that we call a body, to leave behind the ephemeral gauze we call a soul, and become a heart, freed to truly bathe in darkness. But soon now. When he activates _that_, everyone here will become a Heartless, but only we who go willingly shall be the masters. The rest of you will be naught but mere beasts." He laughed, short and lilting, before drawing his crimson and black blade and returning his red-eyed gaze back on Rann. "But before then, while you are still a worthy opponent… I'll have my revenge."

Roaring in rage, his anger twisting his refined features into something ugly, Erion charged forwards at Rann, white mane of hair streaming behind him. Rann parried the lunge, knocking his sword to the side before cutting and upwards slash with his gunblade. Erion nimbly dodged back, the tip of the silver sword barely scraping against his black armor. Following Rann's stroke with his own blade, he helped the gunbladier's course until his sword arm was too far extended to quickly react. Using the opening he created, Erion lunged forwards with his free hand, only Rann's unarmored arm between the dark knight's gauntleted grip and his throat.

It was then that Daxtin joined the fight. Lashing out with one aura blade then the other, he drove Erion back from Rann, battering away at his armored form and keeping him unbalanced so he couldn't counter attack. Then, giving a powerful blow, he sent the armored man crashing to the floor.

"You whelp," hissed Erion, quickly getting to his feet. "You stay out of this!"

Giving a yell, the dark knight swung his sword at Daxtin, a cutting wave of darkness flying off the edge and crashing into the boy. Daxtin was sent flying, crashing into a pillar before crumpling to the floor.

"Now, just you and I, Captain," said Erion, adding a mocking note to how he spoke the rank. He charged once more, lunging to skewer Rann through. Rann didn't make the same mistake of overextending again though; this time, when he parried the blow, he followed it up with only a light cutting stroke instead of a crushing blow. As he had figured, Erion had been trying to recreate the same scenario and attempted to use his blade to send Rann's far to the side. Expecting this, the warrior's grip on his weapon was light, and he easily slid past the attempt, bringing up his free arm as Erion's eyes widened with surprise, and then became illuminated by the fires in his opponent's hands.

"Firaga!" said Rann, unleashing the powerful spell. The dark knight took the blast full in the face and was sent flying through the air before crashing to the floor. Rann, watched carefully, hand still extended towards him, his blade arm at the ready. He didn't approach, and was right not to; within moments, Erion was getting to his feet again. However, something seemed changed about him. The air about him fluctuated, and dark smoke was coming off him, as if he were smoldering from the inside.

"I'll show you," he growled, his head sagging as he stood, free hand cradling his face, silky white hair falling in curtains that enshrouded the rest. As he finally stood tall, the darkness rippling off him only increased. Then, suddenly, his head whipped up, revealing not a face, but a mask of darkness with jagged teeth and glowing red eyes. "I'll show you _true_ darkness!"

There was a blast of darkness, powerful enough to send Rann stumbling back. Nearby, he saw Daxtin, who had been getting back on his feet, was floored again by the wave of power. The dark knight began to raise his smoldering blade, and Rann knew that he would not come out of this unscathed. However, before Erion could finish drawing his blade, something else happened.

A speeding figure in sky-blue came leaping down from an upper balcony in the hallway, spinning a long quarterstaff whose ends trailed glowing magical light. As the person hit the ground, they lost no momentum in their trajectory with Erion, the spinning staff smashing into the side of his head multiple times before sending him skidding across the stone floor. As he struggled to stand, the new combatant was already upon him again, battering him from every direction with the expertly handled staff. Sending him stumbling back, the fighting mage followed it up with a powerful blast of aqua-colored light, slung from the end of the staff. The magic hit him with an explosion, sending him crashing into the wall beside the open doorway to the stormy ramparts. He crumpled to the floor, the darkness leaving him, pale and elegant, but nonetheless drawn and beaten.

"You all right, Captain?" asked the newcomer, back turned to them in order to keep an eye on the dark knight. However, Erion seemed unable to rise, much less fight.

"Thanks to you, Vice-Captain," said Rann, striding up to his savior along with Daxtin.

"That's good," she said, turning and flashing him a smile, "Rann."

Rann's heart skipped a beat when he saw her face. It was like a dream, or a ghost. Something clicked inside, and he didn't know why.

"You're… what I've been seeking," he stuttered, still in shock.

"Hmm? Were you looking for me?" she asked curiously, tilting her head at him. Now that the shock was wearing off, he looked her over. She was just as he remembered her. Long blonde hair, held back by the sky-blue headband she wore but still falling in a silken curtain over half her right eye, one of two bright blue orbs. Delicate face set with a cool expression, her lips pursed tightly as if in thought. Another band of sky-blue cloth around her throat, the small golden disc hanging from it to rest just above her collarbone. The long sleeved shirt of the same color, bordered in yellow, which covered neither shoulders nor midriff, and matching hip-hugging pants in the same colors. The ribbons and ornate guard at her waist, along with the staff and slim figure gave her the image of a mage, but he knew she was fully proficient in close-up combat. But more than that was the person who wore all this. He knew she was level-headed, but ready to take risks, a little light-hearted, but able to be counted on. Intelligent, caring, loyal and skilled were only a few of many words he could use to describe her. Yes, this was who he'd been seeking.

"Yeah," he replied with a tired smile. "Yeah, I was looking for you… Meili."

"How sweet," she said jokingly. "Sorry I came in so late. I took a few squads in as soon as we broke down the doors in order to get to the traitor as soon as possible, but we ran into some trouble. Got cornered and driven down some side corridors, so you guys made it this far before me."

"You're always late," said Rann, remembering how many times before he'd told her this. She didn't seem to mind the reprimand though.

"You must have fought hard," continued Meili. She smiled and took a step closer to him, bringing them within inches of each other. "You didn't seem to come out too badly though."

At this, she reached up a hand, trailing her fingers from his forehead down between his eyes to the tip of his nose, causing Rann to smile. However, as the sensation sunk in, the smile dropped from his face, and he jerked back as if stung, bringing a hand up to the bridge of his nose.

"Rann?" asked Meili, her voice suddenly concerned.

He didn't answer. He was too stunned to speak. He couldn't believe it, but no matter how many times he felt it, his fingers told him the same thing: his scars were gone. The two crossing lines that had marred his face were no longer there. The scars that he had gotten when…

His hand fell from his face when he realized he didn't know when he'd gotten the scars. In fact, when had he ever gotten scars? Meili had always seen to it that he healed up fine. What scars was he even thinking about?

"Are you okay?" asked Daxtin, worried by the reaction.

"Yeah," answered Rann, shaking his head as if trying to dispel the delusions that had troubled him. The stress must have been getting to him. "Yeah, I'm fine."

However, even as he said this, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

"Well, then, let's get going," said Meili, turning towards the doors. "Let's stop that traitor before he uses _that_."

She pointed a hand towards the gigantic mass that huddled in the rain outside, lit only occasionally by the crashing lightning.

"It doesn't matter," croaked Erion from where he lay, slumped against the wall next to the doorway. "You'll never stop him. When he uses _that_… it'll be all over for you. I'll be stronger than ever and you'll all be Heartless." He coughed fitfully as darkness pooled about him. Settling down from his fit, he began sinking into the shadows. "I'll see you then. Too bad as mindless shadows, you'll never know it."

With those chilling words, the dark knight disappeared.

"Is it really that bad?" wondered Daxtin aloud, looking out at the enormous form that stood on the ramparts in the storm.

"Don't listen to him," said Rann. "We'll win."

But something inside told him they'd already lost. Five years ago.

* * *

The trio strode out into the rain and thunder towards the gigantic contraption that was steadily humming, emanating waves of energy that made their bones rattle and their ears ache. The power of it was enormous, and, if Cid's estimate still held true, was close to finished charging. 

"Do you know how to disarm it?" asked Daxtin, staring in awe at the huge machine.

"Worst comes to worse, we can just destroy it and hope for the best," suggested Meili. "Cid said the design's pretty complex, so it won't just blow like an ordinary bomb."

"That's correct," said a smooth, confident voice. "However, you'll never get the chance."

Stepping out from behind the giant weapon was a man, fair skinned with long blonde hair, now slick with rain, wearing a formal black coat and pants tucked into stylish boots, all with gold lining that gave him a regal air, sinisterly noble.

"Ansem," growled Rann, gripping his gunblade so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

"My foolish father's name, branded as my own," said Ansem disdainfully. "I prefer my scholarly epithet, The Seeker of Darkness."

"You're more a terrorist than a scholar, Ansem," said Meili, staff at the ready.

"Making veiled barbs about my Shadow Bomb?" he mused calmly. "No matter. It may not be as glorious as two armies facing off on the battlefield, but although I have no doubts as to who would win in a fight between the brave soldiers of Radiant Garden and the endless forces of the Heartless, I find this to be much more effective." He gazed, almost lovingly at the monstrous contraption that could only be seen for moments at a time when the lightning flashed. "In an instant, whole worlds turned to darkness, their every inhabitant instantly torn from their body and devoured by the Heartless, only to rise as another Heartless. And we few who embrace its coming shall retain our sentience and be their masters. That is my genius."

"You're mad," spat Meili vehemently.

"Call it what you want," said the dark prince with a shrug. "You'll all be my minions soon enough."

"Not if we stop you first!" yelled Daxtin, charging forwards. He lashed out with the aura blades, only to meet Ansem's silver rapier. The shining epee cut a swift line in the rain, easily sliding past Daxtin's blades and forcing him back. However, as the boy retreated, Rann and Meili came in. Splashes of aqua-colored light flew from the ends of Meili's staff, perfectly covering for Rann as he closed the distance. The gunbladier lashed out at Ansem as he was busy blocking the magical barrage. However, the duelist saw the attack coming and motioned with his free hand, a disc-shaped barrier of darkness forming between them. Rann's gunblade rebounded off the shield, shattering it but failing to harm its creator. Taking advantage of his suddenly unbalanced state, Ansem lunged at him, driving him back and inflicting light, flicking cuts with his epee on his opponent's arms as the warrior tried to gain space. Unfortunately, in his struggle to gain ground, Rann's boot slipped on the wet stones of the rampart and he fell. Before he could even finish falling, Ansem had his blade ready to strike him down. It was then that Daxtin caught up with them.

Giving a yell, the boy rejoined the fray, leaping at Ansem's back. However, the battle cry was a dead give away and Ansem's form flickered in the rain, before shifting along a trail of shadows several feet to the right. As Daxtin flew through the air, unable to adjust his course to his target's new position, Ansem only sneered with disdain at him.

"How naïve," he sighed, before flicking his blade at the airborne boy. A wave of darkness ripped off of the silver sword and slammed into Daxtin, sending him crashing and sliding across the rain-slick stone. However, before Ansem had anytime to take satisfaction in this victory, he was under assault again. He sidestepped Meili's initial blast of magic, easily blocking the spinning strikes of her quarterstaff. Blocking her next series of strikes with a barrier of summoned darkness, he gave himself the time needed to ready his rapier for the counterattack. Sidestepping another of her blows, he lashed out with a quick, slicing cut of his sword. However, Meili's fluid movements carried her right past it, her body bending in the rain around the deadly slash. This graceful save was not enough; Ansem's free hand merely lashed out with a blast of cold blue fire that sent her stumbling back.

"Meili!" shouted Rann, having just managed to get back to his feet.

"I'm fine," she said through gritted teeth.

In direct contradiction of this, Ansem chose just that moment to blast her with a sudden wave of darkness, larger than any he'd used so far. Taken by surprise, Meili was struck down by the overwhelming force of shadows that slammed into her, sending her flying back.

"You bastard!" roared Rann, charging at Ansem. However, before he could reach him, Daxtin was there. The boy was up again, both aura blades swinging, both inset orbs glowing bright. He attacked fiercely, driving Ansem back until the man was forced to blast him back with a wave of darkness similar to the one he'd used on Meili. Daxtin, however, was ready for it, and blocked, skidding back several paces. It turned out, though, that the distance was what he needed. Slamming the hilts of both aura blades together in opposite directions, he joined them into a single double-bladed unit. Extending his arm to his side, the two blades, suspended from his palm by sheer force of will, began to spin, the glowing orbs carving a bright blue-green circle in the night air and rain.

"Whirlwind Raid!" shouted Daxtin, swinging his arm forwards and unleashing the spinning blades. The combined Joiner and Divider flew through the air at Ansem, slamming into him through his guard and flying past. Before the man could recover, the twin blades came spinning back through the storm and hit him again, launching him up into the air as they split apart. Then, Daxtin was there, grabbing both blades, arms crossed and ready to unleash his finishing blow. "Storm's–"

Daxtin never finished.

In one swift motion, Ansem cut him down with his sword, sending the boy tumbling back to the stone floor of the rampart, where he landed with a crash, both aura blades flying from his hands. With ease and grace, Ansem alighted atop the Shadow Bomb, blade held up before him in ready position as he walked slowly down the dome-shaped machine's slope.

"You pitiful fools," he said haughtily. "You've all grown weak under my father's reign. In the end, the only true power is darkness."

"Daxtin," said Rann in a stunned voice, looking over to where his companion had fallen. His eyes then went to where his other comrade lay, unmoving but for the rain that struck her. "Meili." He then turned his gaze upon Ansem, but now his eyes were full of rage. "You'll pay for this!"

Ansem looked unimpressed as he stepped off the Shadow Bomb and back onto the stones.

"We'll see about that," he said, bringing his blade to bear.

Giving a roar, Rann charged. His gunblade flew in heavy, cutting strikes, powerful and unstoppable, but Ansem's elegant rapier easily parried and deflected the heavy-handed and predictable swings. It was mere child's play for him to sidestep the raging warrior's attacks, and when he over balanced, Ansem counterattacked. Soon, Rann was the one on the defensive, unable to cope with Ansem's swift and agile strokes, the flickering rapier lashing out around his hastily raised guard, driving him back. The assault wasn't relentless though. In a pause between strokes, Rann saw an opening. Bringing his gunblade around, he swung in with all his might.

Ansem was expecting it.

Having left the opening on purpose, his response was almost instantaneous. In a blast of cold blue flames, he struck Rann in the gut, sending him stumbling back. As he was so unbalanced, he attacked then, lashing out at his face.

"Dark Blade!" shouted Ansem as the blow was struck. His sword flared with shadows then exploded with darkness as it cut.

Rann managed barely to avoid having his face cut open, but he could not avoid the blow entirely. He gave a cry of pain and fell to the ground, blood streaming down his face, mingling with the rain as it dripped down onto the stones. A long, burning cut, smoldering with darkness, now marred his features, traveling diagonally between his eyes from above the right one to below the left.

"Tch," hissed Ansem disdainfully. "I still haven't perfected it. That should have ripped your head from your shoulders, rather than just broken skin. But it must sting. That wound is tainted; it will never really heal." He smiled then, vicious and condescending. "But it doesn't matter. You die now."

He raised his rapier then, the silver blade glowing black in the gathered darkness. There was a flash of lightning, and the scene was illuminated for a moment, burned into Rann's eyes as he could only look up helpless through the rain and blood that blurred his eyes. There was Ansem, about to deliver the final blow, face a mask of cold unconcern. There was the Shadow Bomb, fully charged and ready to bathe the world in darkness. And there was Meili, running, screaming, hoping to make it in time.

Then the thunder crashed and the world was dark again, the only sound and sight the pounding rain. But as Rann's eyes readjusted in the aftermath of the lightning, he couldn't accept what he was seeing. He couldn't see Ansem, face full of shock and rage. All he could see was Meili standing between them, arms outstretched as she had tried to shield him.

And then, slowly, her staff fell from her hands, hitting the ground with a dull echoing ring that was nearly lost in the storm. And soon after, she followed, falling first to her knees then onto the cold, uncaring stones, blood pooling on the ground around her. She turned her face from the stone until her head was facing to the side, and she could look back over her shoulder at the man she'd just saved. She smiled weakly.

"Was I late… this time, Captain?" she asked jokingly.

"Meili…" said Rann, barely able to speak.

"That fool," spat Ansem, looking down upon her with disdain and raising his blade again. "You've only delayed the inevitable. Your sacrifice was meaningless."

"No, it wasn't!" yelled Rann, getting to his feet and charging at him. Ansem dodged back, shadows flaring from his blade once more.

"Dark Blade!" he yelled, bringing his rapier around to strike the charging warrior down. Rann didn't block or even attempt to dodge. The sword of shadows cut into his face, mirroring its previous cut and slicing another burning wound across the bridge of his nose. Rann didn't even notice. Instead, he continued his charge and struck back.

"Lionheart!" roared Rann, his gunblade exploding in a flash of light. Powerful energy shot down from his blade, forming into a giant crystalline extension of his blade. He brought the enormous blade around, and in a single flash of light and explosion of power, he cut Ansem down.

The blade faded and the only light was the errant flashes of lightning once more. Ansem fell to the ground, slumping pitifully against the Shadow Bomb, his rapier falling from his numb and lifeless hands. He stared up through the rain at the warrior who had defeated him, a vengeful face wearing an X-shaped wound and a mask of blood.

"You're finished, Ansem," said Rann, breathing heavy, shoulders heaving as the blood pounded in his head. "It's over."

"It's not over," hissed Ansem, smiling. "This is just the beginning."

Reaching up, he suddenly slammed his curled fist into the control panel on the Shadow Bomb. The low, rumbling hum that had been constantly droning on beneath the storm suddenly grew in a frenzied whine, and dark purple light began to emanate from between its many pieces of plating and mechanisms.

"And now, to the darkness go I," he said, before melting into a shade of black, then disappearing, his essence sucked into very machine he had just activated. Rann could only stare in numb shock at the spot where he had just been.

It was not until the noise from the machine housing the Shadow Bomb reached an unbearable level that Rann snapped back to the present. It was about to explode. They had to get out of there.

"Daxtin, find Cid and tell him to start evacuating everyone," yelled Rann as he roughly grabbed the semi-conscious boy and pulled him to his feet. Giving the boy a shove to get going, he then ran over to where Meili lay, half of him trying to get there as fast as he could, the other half wanting to never get there and face the truth. However, in mere seconds, he was there by her side, cradling her in his arms and leaning over her to shield her from the rain.

"Did we… win, Rann?" she asked, staring up at him wearily.

"Yeah," he said softly. "We got him."

"Good," she said, smiling weakly. As she did, her eyes began to flutter closed.

"But not in time," he admitted. At this, her eyes shot back open, though she couldn't manage to open them all the way. "He's activated the Shadow Bomb."

"Take me to it," she said quickly.

"What?"

"Do it, Captain," she said firmly, stressing his rank to remind him of their mission. He nodded, and then carried her over to the machine. When they reached it, she told him, "Put me down."

He hesitated, and then set her feet down. She attempted to stand on her own, but then fell back against him. He put an arm around her shoulders to brace her as she ran her hands across the machine, examining it minutely by sight, feel and magic.

"Stand back," she told him. He did so immediately, but not unquestioningly.

"Meili, what are you doing?" he asked her, no longer even aware of the burning wounds carved into his face or the blood trailing down from them.

"This isn't a bomb," she said quietly. "It's more like a portal. It uses a huge amount of energy to access an exponentially larger force of darkness in the Dark Realm, then unleashes it." She paused then, breathing hard and leaning against the machine for support as she caught her breath momentarily, rain dripping down her through her hair. "I'm going to send that energy, and this whole machine back there."

"You can do that?" he said in a stunned voice.

She paused a moment before replying.

"Yes."

Her hands began glowing then, with the same aqua-colored light that characterized all her magic. The glow quickly spread to enclose the entire Shadow Bomb. Arcane runes appeared all across the dome of energy that now covered the machine. As the glow's intensity increased, she winced in pain, coughing wetly.

"Meili!" said Rann in concern, moving to step forwards, but she waved him off. "You… If you do this… you'll…"

"I know," she said quietly. Then she turned her head and looked over her shoulder at him. And smiled.

"Meili," he said, unable to form any other coherent thoughts.

She only said three words then, and even though the deafening hum of the Shadow Bomb and the crashing thunder of the storm made it impossible to hear, he knew what they were. He smiled sadly and nodded, unable to bring himself to speak and tell her those same three words.

And then the noise reached a deafening pitch and the world went white.

* * *

Rann fell to the ground, and clutched his bleeding face, unable to come to terms with what had just happened. She was gone. It was all over. Now all he had to remember her by were these scars. 

Scars.

He brought his hands back and stared in surprise. It was true. They weren't bleeding wounds. They were scars, long since healed over, as best they could. This wasn't the rain-soaked ramparts of Darkheart Castle. This wasn't anywhere. Looking all around, it was an endless plane of featureless white. The only two things breaking it up were a door and one other person.

"Daxtin," he said weakly as the boy came walking over.

"What happened? Where are we? What… was that?" he asked, his face bewildered. He offered a hand up, and Rann took it, pulling himself to his feet.

"That was a memory," said Rann slowly. "Yes, just a memory. These White Rooms… they're just illusions. Ghosts that haunt our past."

"But… that was her, right? The one you're looking for. Meili," Daxtin said. When Rann didn't answer immediately, he was afraid he might have said the wrong thing, but after a few moments, he began talking.

"That was five years ago," said Rann. "When King Ansem's oldest son first came out as the Seeker of Darkness after years of traveling abroad, attacking worlds with his Heartless armies. We finally fought him back to his stronghold, Darkheart Castle, and… well, you saw what happened."

"And you think she…" Daxtin's voice trailed off, unsure of how to phrase the question.

"Yeah, I think she survived," replied Rann. "After all, Ansem did. Of course, he was only a bodiless spirit, which was why he misled, and later possessed, your Other. Besides, if I gave up that hope…" He sighed. "It was then that I left Radiant Garden. Whether I was looking for her or just a reason to go on living, I don't know. But in the wake of Ansem's destruction and in the face of the worsening problem of the Heartless, I abandoned them. I just didn't care. It was in this hopeless condition that Organization XIII found me, four and a half years later, only a few months before Kir defeated Ansem again. They offered me an answer: with the near infinite power of Kingdom Hearts, I could restore the heart that had burnt out to save me, to save us all. It was that simple."

"Then why did you leave them?" asked Daxtin. "When we went to the World That Never Was, you weren't there with the rest of the Organization."

"In all the research I did while I was with the Organization, it became more and more apparent that this wasn't a matter of the heart, but of the realms," explained Rann. "Certain resonations, signs, signals and reactions just didn't add up. Meili wasn't a spent heart that had burned out in the Realm of Light. More and more, it seemed like what had actually happened was that she had been trapped along with the Shadow Bomb and ended up in the Dark Realm. So Kingdom Hearts wouldn't solve a thing. What I needed was the Door to Darkness.

"The Door to Darkness is a direct portal from the Realm of Light to the Realm of Darkness. It can only be opened by the seven Princesses of Heart. In the research notes of the Organization, from a previous era, there was a bypass that would let me open it without them.

"It didn't work.

"However, starting from Twilight Town, I managed to make my way into the realm in between the Realms of Light and Darkness. That was where I found this castle, Castle Oblivion," he finished.

"And you thought you could find her here," said Daxtin.

"Yeah, that's what it felt like at the time," agreed Rann. "But I was wrong. I can feel it now; she's not here. Emeline was right; what I seek isn't here, just an illusion."

He sighed and clutched his head.

"But at that time, I couldn't even remember what I was seeking," he said in frustration. "How could I forget the most important person in my life?"

"Yeah, that was weird," agreed Daxtin. He frowned, and then made a face. "And in the illusion back there… you said that's what really happened, but what about me? I know I wasn't there, but… when it was happening, I really thought I was a new recruit you were training."

"We aren't just forgetting," said Rann seriously, "but we're also being given fake memories? That means we can barely trust _anything_ we think we remember."

"But that was just inside the illusion," reminded Daxtin. "Now that's it's done, I remember everything fine; the stuff I remember, anyway. We still have to find out what's wrong with Diant, defeat Sam and her sisters, and rescue Naminé, right?"

"Yeah," agreed Rann, before adding, "If we can really trust our memories."

"Of course we can," said Daxtin with a grin. "Let's get going."

He led the way to the door, the only feature in the empty white space, opening it and then stepping through.

"I'm not so sure," muttered Rann before following him through.

* * *

_Waha: Long chapter, but since it's the only Rann-centric one, I suppose he deserves it. Finally, a look into Rann's past, why he became Griever, and just who Meili is. Also, a little history of Ansem, Seeker of Darkness._

_Hahaha, Erion ended up in there completely on a last-minute whim, but actually fits really well (it'll make sense later) for him to be Ansem's apprentice/experiment. It also explains how a "Worldslayer" class Heartless came to be. Also, I've added Meili's picture and a short description to my gallery, at http://z3.invisionfree(dotcom)/lghsanime/index.php?showtopic(equals)330&st(equals)0 (also accessible from my profile as my homepage). Anyway, hopefully I'll have the next chapter up within a week or so, maybe sooner. I think there's only 8 or 9 left, though I suppose that's a lot. Well, we'll see how it all turns out._

_Next Chapter: Rann casts some doubts on Daxtin's memories. And the World That Never Was; encountering Roxtarit for the third time._


	17. Servitude

Chapter 16: Servitude

* * *

"We're forgetting so much," murmured Rann as they stepped out of the White Room. "Can we really be sure of anything?" 

"I know that what I'm doing is the right thing, okay?" said Daxtin firmly. "There's no doubt in my mind."

"And that's what worries me," sighed Rann. "Things we're most sure of… what if they're all lies? Diant seemed so sure in his hatred of you, but you said you guys became friends, right?"

"So what? Diant's just forgotten that; he didn't like me at first. What's your point?" asked Daxtin impatiently as they headed up the stairs to the 11th floor.

"I'm just saying… you didn't remember her before you came here… what if it wasn't Naminé?" asked Rann.

Daxtin stopped dead in his tracks.

"Don't even joke about that!" he yelled, turning and shouting at his scarred companion. "Naminé is _definitely_ the one I've been looking for, just like you're looking for Meili! There's _no_ way that how I feel about her is a lie!"

"I thought Nobodies didn't feel?" said Rann quietly. Daxtin flinched at this, before sagging a little, the anger gone out of him.

"Besides, if it wasn't Naminé, what about this picture?" he continued more calmly, pulling out the drawing that had fallen out of his coat back on the 5th floor.

"I guess so," conceded Rann, but he didn't seem convinced.

"So let's get going!" said Daxtin, running ahead.

"I suppose, if nothing else, we'll find out what's behind this all," muttered Rann to himself, following him into the next White Room.

* * *

"That man," murmured Lust, watching Rann in the crystal ball. "He wasn't ever part of the plan, was he? How did he get here?" 

"I think he was drawn to this castle when Pride pulled Diant here," said Luciella absently, more intent on picking at one of the many oversized stitches in her stuffed rabbit.

"He's mean," pouted Karie.

"He has made some of the fights a little trickier," admitted Sam, "but I suppose Daxtin might not have made it this far without him."

"But his doubt," continued Lust languidly. "He's figuring it out."

"Is he really a threat?" asked Luciella, now pulling bits of cotton stuffing out.

"He's thrown the equation out of balance," said Lust. "One of the rooms even reacted to _his_ memories instead of the Nobody's. He may ruin this whole thing." She quietly considered the problem as she sat in her throne. "Luciella."

"Yes?" The girl came to attention, putting her sadistic play on hold for the moment.

"Eliminate him," she commanded imperiously.

"Why not me?" asked Sam, a hint of irritation in her voice.

"Or me?" chimed in Karie.

"You two are too variable," replied their Mistress. "I need this done, and done as efficiently as possible." She turned her attention back to the eldest of her servants. "Now, go."

"Of course," replied Luciella obediently before disappearing in a swirl of darkness.

* * *

"Hey, isn't this…?" asked Daxtin, looking around at the looming white walls that surrounded them and the dark city below. 

"Yeah, it is," nodded Rann. "It's the castle Roxtarit told us to meet him at."

"Do you think we'll meet him here?"

"Not if you keep standing around outside, you won't," called the joking voice. Looking up, they spotted the masked Nobody leaning out over a high balcony, waving down at them.

"Hey, mind telling us how to get up there?" called back Daxtin hopefully. He jumped back in surprise as a small fireball dropped from above and nearly hit him.

"Nope!" called back Roxtarit cheerfully, carelessly dropping another fireball that splashed on the white floor less than a foot to Rann's left. The fires flickered on the ground for several seconds, despite having not visible fuel to burn, before dying out, leaving no sign behind of their fleeting existence other than a few scorch marks. "You'll have to find me; that's the challenge. Besides, this castle's a real maze. I couldn't tell you if I wanted to, since I always just use the portals. Plus, I think it changes occasionally."

"Well, just great," grumbled Rann.

"Couldn't you just send a portal down here to us?" shouted Daxtin hopefully.

"And where would be the fun in that?" laughed the redhead, dropping another napalm-like fireball.

"Would you quit that?" called Rann irritably.

Roxtarit only laughed and dropped a hail of fireballs on then before disappearing over the edge of the balcony, presumably back into the castle.

"Come on, let's go find him," growled Rann, heading towards the doors into the Castle of Naught, absently swatting fireballs out of the air with his gunblade as he went.

"I'm surprised you're so eager to meet him," said Daxtin with a grin.

"I'm not," said the scarred warrior darkly. "Just eager to beat him up."

"I should have known," sighed Daxtin, before hurrying after him.

* * *

"Ah, _hisashiburi_," greeted Kensuke with a smile. The grinning blonde was at the top of a flight of stairs, the fifth one that Rann and Daxtin had climbed so far. Despite going up so high, every time they looked out the window, the balcony was still above them. Had it really been so high when they had talked to Roxtarit? 

"Oh, hey, it's you again," said Daxtin amiably. Rann gave a non-committal grunt.

"And what, if I may ask, are you two up to now?" asked the blonde playfully. "Not going to cause trouble, are you?"

"No, but your buddy seems intent on getting us in it," replied Daxtin. "Does he always drop fireballs on people?"

"Only when he's bored," said Kensuke, "which is always."

"Well, gee, that's encouraging," sighed the boy. "So he invited us here just to torture us?"

"Seems likely," replied the blonde with a shrug.

"What is it you guys do here, anyway?" asked Rann, looking about. In the rooms they'd checked out, they'd seen a variety of purposes, ranging from laboratories, to armories, to libraries, to rooms filled to the ceiling with junk and some with nothing at all.

"We're all looking for something," he said. "Different things, each of us. But we're all after the same means to do it. For the most part."

"What are you looking for?" asked Daxtin curiously.

"That's a secret," said Kensuke with a sly grin. "But I'll ask you the same: what are _you_ looking for?"

"A girl," replied Daxtin without hesitation. "Her name's Naminé."

"Are you sure?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Of course I'm sure!" said Daxtin defensively.

"Well, never heard of her," replied Kensuke with a shrug. "Though I'm not sure why you'd look for a wave instead of an ocean. _Ja ne_."

Giving a wave of his hand, he disappeared into a dark portal before they could ask anything further.

"Well, that was uninformative," noted Rann in a bored tone.

"What do you think he meant, about waves and oceans?" puzzled Daxtin. However, before they could think much further about it, they heard a loud yell, followed by the sound of several fiery explosions. "Hey, that sounded like Roxtarit!"

"Sounded like he's getting his due," said Rann in grim satisfaction.

"Come on, he could be in trouble," urged Daxtin, taking off down the hall towards the noise.

"I hope so," added Rann before taking off after the boy.

* * *

"You let enemies into our headquarters," hissed the dark-skinned mystic as he held up Roxtarit by the collar, the redhead's booted feet kicking helplessly above the ground. All around them, the pristine white walls had been marred with burns, some from fiery explosions, others looking to be precise, linear cauterizations. 

"No, I didn't," corrected the Burning Enigma quickly, an invisible smile playing on the features behind the mask. "They wandered in by themselves."

"You led them here," accused the silver-haired Superior, ignoring his comments. "You're a traitor to our cause."

"Gee, you're just figuring that out now?" laughed Roxtarit. "That's just_ amazing_!"

He yelled this last sarcastic word out, arms flying out to the sides as twin bursts of flames formed at his palms, quickly spinning into his signature chakrams. His attacker had only a moment to let go and dodge back as Roxtarit burst into flame, a pillar of fire engulfing him.

"You guys are seriously pathetic. Back when I originally joined, it was practically the Organization's official pastime to figure out anagrams. But if you're just figuring it out now, I guess you dimwits never tried it, huh? It's so obvious!" Roxtarit laughed loudly as the flames died down, some still dancing about his cloak as he walked towards the Superior, weapons drawn. "Just take out the X, rearrange it… 'Roxtarit' spells 'Traitor'. How much more obvious could it be? You guys are totally blank with a capitol 'B'."

"So Roxtarit isn't your real name?" asked Daxtin as he came running up, Rann not far behind him.

"Not by a long shot," said the masked Nobody. He whipped off the mask in a flurry of flames, revealing a grinning face with sharp features and bright green eyes that contrasted nicely with his flaring red hair. "Real name's Axel. A-X-E-L. Got it _memorized_?" He pointed a finger over at the other black cloaked figure. "He's Xatheron, by the way. The real head honcho behind Organization XIII and all the bad stuff they do, blah blah blah. Long story short: if you want to stop Organization XIII, you'll have to deal with him."

"So, you were a sleeper agent?" noted Rann.

"Something of the sort," said Axel, shrugging.

"So if you're against them," reasoned Daxtin, "then you're a good guy, right?"

"Maybe," replied the Nobody lightly, "maybe not. I'll let you decide." Sighing, he twirled his twin chakrams on the tips of his fingers before letting them disappear in a puff of smoke and flame. "Anyway, don't mean to talk and walk, but I've got a few other things to attend to. See you around."

And without giving them so much as a chance to say a single word, he disappeared in a rapidly opening and closing dark portal.

"Hey!" shouted Daxtin, running a few steps towards where he had been. He stopped, disappointed at having been abandoned. "Why'd he bother bringing us here?"

"That traitor," hissed Xatheron angrily, making his presence known once more. Beams of red energy shot from his palms, forming twin blades. "Bringing this filth into our headquarters." He turned his coldly burning gaze on the pair. "I'll exterminate you personally."

"I think I know why," muttered Rann, drawing his gunblade. Before Daxtin could follow up his questioning look with a question, the fight was on.

Xatheron charged forwards at them, beam swords swinging. Daxtin blocked with Joiner and Divider, before jumping back from him. Dodging under the red beams, he lashed out with both aura blades in succession.

"Shield!" shouted Xatheron. A shining shield of energy appeared before him, throwing the young Nobody back. However, just as Daxtin was thrown from the fray, Rann stepped in to take his place.

The gunbladier started off with a powerful upwards slash, forcing the man to dodge back. Xatheron took to a distance, thorny streams of black and white shooting from his hands at the man. Rann responded with several fireballs, but at the distance between them, the Superior had ample time to dodge the large projectiles. However, as he concentrated on dealing with Rann, he failed to see the next attack coming.

Daxtin's aura blades, one after another, came flying through the air and slammed into his side. Xatheron grunted in pain, but managed to recover and block as the boy retrieved both blades and swung at him. In this time, Rann closed the distance, and soon the black cloaked man was fighting a losing two-on-one battle against the pair. However, this was not the limit of his powers.

"Void!" he chanted, dismissing both of his crimson blades, and holding his hands in front of him. Before Daxtin or Rann could take advantage of this opening, a huge bubble of power opened between them, exploding with more of the thorny black and white streamers that were physical incarnations of nothingness. The sheer number of tendrils was overwhelming, pushing the pair further and further away from Xatheron as the Nobody's power only continued to grow.

"Firaga!" shouted Rann, unleashing a series of powerful fireballs to no effect. He hacked at the beams with his gunblade even as they forced him back, but nothing could stop the oncoming flood.

"It can't end like this," said Daxtin, struggling against the wave of thorny tendrils. "Not before I save Naminé… I won't let it end here! Joiner!"

A beam of light shot from the end of the aura blade, piercing through the tangled mass of black and white and stabbing straight into the heart of the void. Then, to Xatheron's further shock and surprise, it went through the nexus, piercing straight into him. And then it joined the two.

There was a rumbling boom as the many tendrils of power in the room suddenly imploded. In an instant, the room was empty. The thorny streams of black white were gone. The nexus of void was gone. Xatheron was gone. Only Rann and Daxtin remained.

"Tch," spat Rann, putting away his blade. "Using us to dispose of his target… quite the manipulator."

"Xatheron?" asked Daxtin in a puzzled voice as he dismissed the aura blades. Rann gave him a look then just shook his head.

"You don't get it at all, do you?" he said. "I'm talking about Roxtarit, or Axel, or whatever he wants to call himself." Rann sighed as he headed down the hall for the large pair of doors at the end. "He tricked us into coming here just so we'd get in a fight with Xatheron and eliminate the Nobody for him. You didn't see that?"

"Not really," admitted Daxtin, following behind.

"That's why I'm worried about this whole castle," said Rann under his breath as he stepped out of the White Room. "You take everything at face value. And nothing ever is. Especially here."

* * *

"Hello," murmured Luciella as she watched them come out of the White Room and into the hallway. She stood at the bottom of the stairs up holding her much abused bunny by the leg so that its head dragged on the floor. "Nice to see you again."

"You must be the third one," said Rann, cautiously evaluating this new threat.

"Third one?" asked Daxtin, confused.

"Back when we first came in here, there were three girls in cloaks," Rann reminded him. "Two were Sam and Karie. She's the third one."

"I'm surprised that you remember that much," said the solemn girl. "You really are dangerous."

"Wait, so she's also Sam's sister?" asked Daxtin.

"In a way," she replied. "My name is Luciella. I wouldn't really call us sisters though."

"What do you mean?" questioned Rann.

"We're constructs, or perhaps summons," mused Luciella. "Servants created from hearts and darkness by our master. And so too, will you serve our Mistress." She directed this last line at Daxtin, her unconcerned gaze focusing on the boy.

"I'll never serve anyone who would kidnap Naminé!" he shouted defiantly.

"Kidnap? I wouldn't really call it that either," replied Luciella vaguely. "Kidnapping implies she had a home to begin with."

"What?" sputtered Daxtin.

"I knew it," said Rann with grim conviction. "None of this adds up."

"Very clever," congratulated Luciella dryly. "Yes, I see why she wants you eliminated."

"Who does?" demanded Daxtin as he drew his aura blades.

"Lust, the Queen of Thorns," she said coldly, before waving a hand at them. Threads of darkness, so thin as to almost be invisible, spun from her finger tips, gliding through the air towards the pair. Daxtin prepared to charge through the gossamer strands, but before he could, he felt Rann grab him by the collar of his coat and pull him back out of the way. They stopped just outside the range of the flying threads and in full view of their capabilities.

The threads of darkness wrapped around anything they came into contact with, from the pillars supporting the ceiling to the serene vases of carven white roses. When they settled, Luciella gave a little jerk of her wrist. The threads tightened, and then suddenly cut through whatever they bound. Cleanly cut sections of stone slid from their positions, crashing to the floor in clouds of powdered stone as they shattered like glass.

"I've never seen successful use of wire as a long-range weapon before," noted Rann, "but I suppose spinning it from darkness gives it her the needed control, strength and ability to project."

"That's great, but how do we fight it?" asked Daxtin, watching as the young girl spun her dark threads about her in fanciful, but deadly patterns.

"They're slow," said the warrior, "and once they bind, it takes a second or two for her to draw them taut. Follow my lead."

With that, Rann charged at her. Luciella immediately swung her free hand at him, unleashing another web of dark threads. Rann blasted some of them with fire, but the remaining lengths of thread continued on through the explosion, wrapping around one of his arms. As they began to pull tight, he cut through them with his gunblade. He made to close the distance, but as he did, Luciella dropped her stuffed toy and brought up her other hand.

More dark threads shot from her fingers, sweeping through the air and fully entangling the gunbladier by surprise. Bound tight, Rann was unable to move or cut himself free. As the strings tightened, they pressed his jacket in against him, and where he had bared skin, scarlet drops of blood stood out against the razor-sharp threads.

"Divider!"

A light shot across the room, slicing through the dark threads immediately. Daxtin came charging in as Rann untangled himself from the rapidly fading severed ends of Luciella's bindings.

"I only need to eliminate the wanderer, Nobody," said Luciella warningly.

"You'll have to go through me first!" shouted the boy, taking up a fighting stance with both aura blades at the ready.

"So be it," she said uncaringly. With a flick of her wrists, dark threads sprung from all directions, entangling the pair. However, even unable to move, Daxtin could still invoke the power of Divider, instantly severing the thin strands in a flash of light.

"So the Shadow Strings are obsolete as long as you have that," noted Luciella clinically. "I suppose I'll have to use something else."

With a flick of her fingers, a pool of darkness appeared on the floor before her, the shadows shooting up from it halting Rann and Daxtin's charge at her as they stopped to assess the new threat. The pillar of darkness slowly faded, revealing a new figure within.

Standing between Luciella and the pair was a familiar figure made all in shadows; a living, three-dimensional silhouette of Diant. The only feature of color was the two glowing yellow eyes, like a Heartless, that stared out at them.

"Of course, the finished product is much more realistic, but this is all I can synthesize on such short notice," murmured Luciella depreciatingly. "I hope you can appreciate the effort I put into my Diant that you're trying so hard to rescue."

"_Your_ Diant?" sputtered Daxtin. "What are you talking about?"

"Perhaps I'll tell you later," she said in a nonchalant tone. She gave a wave of her hand, and the shadowy imitation of Diant charged at them.

Rann and Daxtin dodged back as it swung at them with both blades. The two of them blocked against its quick, reckless attacks, too hard pressed defending to take advantage of the opening it left in its own.

"It fights just like Diant, but not as skillfully," noted Rann.

"Then shouldn't it be easier?" asked Daxtin as he struggled to deflect another blow.

"Not in this case," disagreed Rann, carefully diverting a strike that came his way as he tried to find an opening that he could use without leaving his own opening. "This puppet isn't as skilled, but she's trying to make up for it with raw power. We can't afford to take a single hit from this thing."

"But if we're always blocking, how can we attack?" said Daxtin, panic entering his voice.

"Calm down," said Rann. "We split up. It's still two-on-one." He grunted as he blocked another bone-jarring blow. "Can you see them? The strings."

"Yeah," replied Daxtin, squinting. It was hard because of how thin they were, but since they spun through the air with every movement the shadow Diant made, he could just pick them out going from Luciella's hands to the puppet's limbs.

"When we split, she's going to concentrate on me, since I'm the one she wants to eliminate," he said. "When she does, try to get between her and the shadow and sever them with your blade. Go now!"

With that, the two of them ran in opposite directions. As predicted, the shadow replica went after Rann. Now with only one target to concentrate on, it turned its full attentions on him, the attacks coming faster and harder than Rann could keep up with for long. However, as this happened, Daxtin ran up the hall towards the gossamer mass of strings that floated through the air, pulling out his aura blade.

Luciella saw him, and did nothing.

"Divider!" he shouted, swinging the black blade. A beam of light shot from the end of his weapon, slicing through the nearly-invisible dark strings in an instant. The shadow Diant's movements immediately slowed, its attacks suddenly weaker. Taking advantage of this, Rann cut into it with a powerful uppercut, sending it flying into the air. Daxtin jumped up towards the replica, taking Divider in both hands. "Nightsever!"

There was a flash of darkness, and then he was suddenly past the clone, blade extended. He hit the floor as the shadow Diant was still in the air, and turning, pointed the aura blade at it, a thin black beam firing from it.

"Final Darkness!" he cried as the powerful beam of darkness pierced his foe. There was a sudden explosion as the construct disintegrated in a blast of shredded darkness. Then it was gone, no trace of it ever having existed.

Daxtin turned then to Luciella, who was still calmly watching him from the bottom of the stairs.

"Now, where's Naminé?' he demanded, approaching her with both blades drawn.

"Watching you fight in person is an interesting experience," she said instead of answering. "You really are the Nobody with a Heart."

"Where's Naminé?" he repeated, undeterred.

"Why do you care? You've never even met her," said Luciella coldly.

"What are you talking about?" protested Daxtin. "She's one of my best friends!"

"I have enough data. I'll be better prepared the next time I see you," she said, again ignoring his questions. Picking up her bunny and giving a little twirl, she disappeared in a swirl of darkness.

"What does she even mean?" asked Daxtin in frustration.

"Everything that I was afraid of," replied Rann darkly.

* * *

"You failed to eliminate the problem," noted Lust harshly as Luciella appeared before her.

"See, it's not just me!" said Karie to Sam. The redhead didn't seem impressed by this appeal. In fact, she was staring intently at the third sister.

"I was insufficiently prepared for the encounter," replied Luciella calmly. "I didn't have any first-hand data on their capabilities."

"You saw him about to cut the strings," hissed Sam angrily. "Why didn't you do anything?"

"I didn't see him," she denied, brushing the accusation off. "I was too intent on the wanderer. I'll keep it in mind next time."

"Like hell you didn't see him!" shouted Sam. "It was obvious!"

"Maybe to you, but as you've always said, you're the only _real_ fighter around here," said Luciella easily. "It was something I overlooked in the heat of battle, a shortcoming because of specializations elsewhere."

"'Heat of battle'," snorted the redhead. "Like you'd get that worked up. What's your game?"

"That's enough," said Lust. "Though I did expect more from Luciella, this is not entirely unsalvageable. However," she said, turning her gaze to the girl in question, "I do have to question the amount of information you revealed. They may have been veiled references, but the ability to put such pieces together is exactly why we wanted Rann eliminated."

"Does it matter? Naminé can just erase the memory of that anyway," replied Luciella calmly. "Besides, it sows confusion in the Nobody's mind, further opening his weakness to our plans."

"I suppose," conceded Lust at length, relaxing and leaning back languidly in her throne. "Yes, we can always use Naminé for that. Their hearts cannot resist it."

_And that underestimation of the heart_, thought Luciella to herself,_ will be your downfall._

* * *

_Woohoo: I finally got to insert one of the quotes from the Extra Epilogue of Memories of Nobody. Too bad this isn't as cool a chapter as the last one (though Axel makes everything 10x better). But from here-on out, it should mostly be good stuff; Daxtin's story has only 2 chapters left. BTW, I've picked up a new fanfic, Lost Sanctuary by SwordDemon. It's good, and it's Nobody Centric and fairly canonical; everything I look for in a KH fic. Does it mean anything if my two favorite fics right now are Lost Sanctuary and Searching for Sanctuary? Names eerily connected._

_Next Chapter: Ansem's Successor vs. Ansem's First Apprentice, a battle of Darkness against Darkness!_


	18. Apprentices of Darkness

Chapter 17: Apprentices of Darkness

* * *

"You know, we're kind of alike," said Anya suddenly as they walked down the empty white hall. 

"You think so?" sighed Diant. He didn't really see many similarities between the two of them.

"Yeah, I do," she said, a little reproachfully. "We've both had to face our dark sides. I mean, I suppose you're still facing yours," she added. "But neither of us really chose to be in darkness."

"I did," he disagreed.

"But it was to save your friends, right? That's why you listened to Ansem, isn't it?" reasoned the dark girl.

Diant didn't answer.

"And both of us were manipulated by the person who cast us in darkness," she continued on, "and we both overcame them."

"Not really," Diant disagreed again. "Ansem's still here. Still trying to use me."

"So? Shouldn't that be easier then?" said Anya as they ascended the stairs. "You've beat him once, you know you can do it again."

"But if he's still here, did I really beat him? Can I really escape him this time?" Diant despaired. "Back then, I was sure the darkness was his, so I rejected it. But in the end, it's still with me, and so is Ansem. Maybe darkness _is_ my true nature."

"Maybe it is," agreed Anya simply. Diant looked at her in shock. "But so what? Darkness is _my_ true nature. That doesn't make _me_ evil, does it?"

"No," he said doubtfully. "But you don't have someone like Ansem using you. You never… did what I did." He sighed. "You helped Daxtin. You always did the right thing. You never joined the Organization, or served as Ansem's apprentice. I did. I did all that, and more." He shook his head and strode ahead of her towards the doors of the 6th Basement Floor's White Room. "We're too different."

He opened the doors and walked in, once again not caring if she followed him, hoping she wouldn't. But this time for different reasons than before. This time, it was not because he despised her, but because he wanted to spare her the road he had to travel. The road to dusk. And finally, darkness.

* * *

"Traverse Town," muttered Diant to himself, looking around at the multi-styled architecture that characterized the hodgepodge mess of left over worlds that the Heartless had broken apart over the centuries. 

"Traverse Town?" asked Anya.

"It's a place where inhabitants of different worlds fled from the Heartless, taking bits of their homes with them," explained Diant, disappointed, yet at the same time, relieved that she had stayed with him. "A place made because of those who use darkness. People like me."

"How dramatic," came a disdainful voice. Though Anya looked around for the source, Diant didn't even bother.

"Erion," he spat irritably. "Come on out of that storm cloud you call an embodiment so I can destroy you already."

"So rude," said the Worldslayer as the dark clouds blotting out the night sky siphoned down into a whirling cone of shadows. Finally, the spinning darkness gave way, revealing the newly formed figure inside, Erion, pale of skin in pitch-black armor. "Is that really anyway to respect the ones who preceded you?"

"Preceded me? What are you talking about?" asked Diant bluntly.

"You fool," hissed Erion, his elegant tone suddenly giving way to vehement hatred. "You have no idea what you took from me, do you? Didn't you wonder why, out of all the wielders of darkness that you and the hero of the keyblade fought, Ansem never asked you to look into my powers? It's because he already knew all of them. _I_ was his first apprentice. _I_ was his first experiment, the first die he cast into the darkness!" The dark knight's eyes blazed with anger. "Even after the forces of Radiant Garden defeated him at Darkheart Castle, _I_ was the one who continued to believe in him, and searched for him when all others thought him dead. _I_ destroyed the first world, dimmed the first star that fed his return. _I_ should have been his successor, his earthly vessel. But instead he chose you.

"You, who knew nothing. You, who had fallen by happenstance into the darkness. You, who began with no ambitions beyond finding your worthless friends. Simply because you were close to the Keyblade Master and had the slightest hint of darkness, he chose you. Master Ansem chose you. Over me."

"Yeah, well it's really an honor I wanted," said Diant sarcastically. "And you know what? He's chosen me again. I'm in this pit hole of a castle, once again being stalked by your illustrious master, and you know what? I'd be happy to step aside and let you have the honor. Go ahead, run to your master right now. Oh wait, you can't," continued Diant, his tone turning vicious. "Why? Because you're just a memory, an illusion made by this stupid castle. And why is that? Because you're dead! So stay that way and stop haunting me!"

With a yell, Diant charged at the armored figure, his frustration boiling over into rage. Erion swiftly deflected with his crimson and black sword, stepping quickly out of the way as Diant followed his initial strike with his other blade. Diant swung hard and fast, raining blow after blow on his opponent in reckless abandon. Erion parried with elegance and skill, and when Diant left an opening, he struck.

The boy dodged out of the way, but suddenly was forced onto the defensive. Unable to mount a counterattack, Diant could only block and dodge around the black knight's blade. However, as Erion momentarily overextended, he took the opportunity to strike back.

Their blades clashed as each met the other with equal and opposing force, sparks flying where their weapons ground against each other.

"You're not giving it your all," said Erion disdainfully. "You're not using the darkness."

"Neither are you," said Diant with a cocky grin. "Where's your Dark Form?"

"I won't need it unless you use yours," replied the knight coldly. "So where is it? Or are you waiting for that girl to use the darkness for you?"

Diant glanced over at Anya, who stood at the ready with her Shadow Lance, but removed from the combat. He flashed her a smile before turning back to his opponent.

"She knows to stay out of this," he said to Erion, "I don't need to drag her into this."

"So you'll rely on the darkness within you," concluded the black knight. "Ansem's blessing."

"More like his curse," spat Diant. "I don't need that either!"

He pushed forwards with sudden force, throwing Erion back and then charging at him.

"I'll make you see that you do," hissed Erion, blocking his first wild strikes. "Without Ansem and the darkness, you're nothing!"

There was an explosion of force as darkness rolled off the pale Worldslayer in waves, sending Diant flying. The boy landed roughly on his feet, regaining his balance just as the Heartless was upon him.

Gone was the pale complexion, the wispy white locks. In their place were a mask of darkness and a mane of burning shadows. Only Erion's red eyes remained unchanged, staring out with loathing and hatred from the black silhouette of his Dark Form. Swinging with inhuman speed, his crimson and black sword cut through the night air, coming dangerously close to Diant's face as he barely dodged back. The blade flew through the air, ringing loudly as it clashed against Diant's weapons.

"Use it!" roared the dark Erion, bringing his blade down again against the boy. Diant's arms stung and tingled with the force of impact. "Use the darkness! Use Master Ansem's power!"

"You want to see darkness?" said Diant grimly as he fell to one knee under the relentless blows. "I'll show you!"

There was a sudden release of energy, dark powers suddenly unleashed. They exploded from Diant, sending Erion skidding back, the heels of his armored feet sending up sparks against the flagstones. The knight barely had time to recover as a deathly blue fireball slammed into his armored chest. Then Diant was charging at him, tendrils of darkness wrapped around his neck, extending up towards his face and down his arms, encasing him in shadowy armor. The boy's eyes were full of rage, and focused on only one thing. Erion.

The knight, however, seemed only more pleased by this. He parried Diant's reckless, enraged blows with ease, marveling at their strength, yet disappointed by their lack of refinement. As this boredom set in, the darkness faded from his features. Erion slowly resumed his pale, elegant looks. He watched with cold detachment as Diant struck out wildly and viciously, with strength, but no skill.

"So," said the knight absently, "you're nothing more than a worthless darkling."

"You've seen nothing yet," growled Diant, growing only more annoyed with this dismissal. His hands, both now gauntleted in the red and black strands of his Dark Form, glowed with sudden darkness, both aura blades disappearing to be replaced by pulsing, growing spheres of ebony power. "Take this!"

Erion didn't panic. He merely raised an armored hand, a similar darkness growing in his palm as he calmly watched the boy's desperate attack.

"You've been lost to the darkness," he said coldly as his final parting words to the boy he was about to annihilate.

"Not yet."

Erion suddenly gasped in shock, his power flickering out as he sputtered blood down his pale features and onto his black armor. He stared in surprise and disbelief at the girl before him, her Shadow Lance piercing through his chest and sticking out his back, her hair blowing in the night breeze, her face half a mask of darkness.

"Anya…" said Diant in stunned shock, the dark power gathering in his hands slowly fading. As he calmed, the tendrils of darkness enshrouding his body receded, eventually disappearing.

"You can't let the darkness use you, Diant," she said. "You can't give into your anger. If you do that, the darkness will consume you. You'll defeat yourself."

"Someone who understands," chuckled Erion morbidly, breaking off into a fit of racking, wet coughs. "You're just like me."

"I'm nothing like you," said Anya, turning her soft gaze on him. "You think you control the darkness, but you're just as consumed by it. Maybe you haven't lost control, but it's turned you into what you are: someone who feeds on destruction and hatred. You don't know how to care about others anymore. You just hunger for more power. More darkness. You're a monster."

"And you pretend you aren't one," replied Erion with a vicious smile. "But you can't hide it forever. Neither of you can. You're both just weaklings, fighting against your own dark natures, defeating yourselves over and over. You make me sick."

With a final laugh, he disappeared in a cloud of darkness, fading into the night sky. The two of them watched him go, before turning to each other.

"Are you all right?" asked Anya quietly, the steel gone from her voice, her timidity returning.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Diant, brushing himself off. He walked past her towards the doorway out before stopping a few paces past her. "Anya…"

"I know," she said softly, "I shouldn't have interfered. But I just–"

"No, that's not it," he said with a smile. "I wanted to say thank you. For saving me."

"What? Oh..." she said, blushing a little. "You're welcome."

"Come on, let's get going," he said, leading the way out of the White Room.

* * *

"Ugh," groaned Diant, suddenly clutching his chest as they ascended the stairs to the 5th basement floor. 

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" asked Anya in sudden concern.

"No, I'm fine," he said, easing up. He sighed and looked up towards the end of the stairs. "It's going away now."

"Are you… hurt?" she asked worriedly.

"No," he said, starting back up the stairs again. "Not in the normal sense."

"What do you mean?" she asked as she followed him up.

"I don't know," he said helplessly. "It just feels like this pain… in my heart. Like the darkness keeps on, I don't know, _growing_. And it's eating me from the inside out."

He turned suddenly to face her, a rare show of fear, confusion and weakness playing across his features.

"I'm losing control, Anya," he told her, urgency bordering on panic entering his voice. "We keep making it through each of these battles, against ghosts and phantasms, but I can never beat them without using the darkness and every time I do it just keeps growing stronger. And it's never because I want it. It's because I'm angry, or frustrated, or, or…"

"Or what?" asked Anya quietly.

"Or scared," he admitted. "But then the darkness comes surging out, welling up from inside me and I just can't control it. I always manage to push it back down in the end, but it's harder each time. Harder to suppress. Harder to go back. Harder to let go.

"What if this time I can't control it? What if this time I can't go back? What if I can't let go of the darkness?" he asked desperately. He sighed and hung his head in despair. "Erion's right. They're all right. I'm only darkness. Ansem's chosen darkness. And without it, I'm nothing."

"You're not," she said. He looked up, but his face wasn't hopeful or expectant. "You're you, Diant. Not some dark thing or puppet. You're not a shadow of Ansem. You're you."

He paused for a moment, looking at her hopeful face before speaking.

"Thanks," he said, straightening up and starting off again.

Anya beamed happily at seeing his confidence back again.

"But we both know the truth," said Diant as he paused before the doors to the next White Room. "I have nothing but darkness now. Nothing left but to continue to fall." He pushed open the double doors with both arms, not bothering to face her as he spoke. "Don't follow me. There's nothing but emptiness, darkness and sorrow where I'm headed."

Anya could only watch in stunned silence as he headed in.

"I want to be your light, to guide you out of this," she said, shaking her head sadly. "But I guess, I should have expected this. How can someone made of darkness be a light?"

* * *

"Radiant Garden," murmured Diant, looking around at the beautifully structured city. "Been a long time since I've seen it." 

He looked back over his shoulder to see what Anya thought before remembering he'd told her not to follow. Of course, he was sure that she would anyway, but surprisingly, no one was there.

"Well, it's probably for the best," he told himself. "And it's what I wanted anyway. Right?"

And when he found he couldn't answer his own question, he shook his head in frustration and started running down the empty street, alone in the snow-like fall of glittering light that gave the city its name.

* * *

He ran for a long time. He didn't pay attention to where he was going. It wasn't until the roar filled his ears and the pavement ended before his feet that realized where he was. He found himself at the edge, looking down over the Rising Falls, the great curtains of gravity-defying water that faced one side of the bastion, rising up from the misty depths of the great basin in which they originated. 

With the mist clouding the bottom, it looked endless. Like he could just take a step forwards and fall forever, never landing, ever descending. To fall endlessly into the depths of the world, with no sensation but the wind rushing past his face and the darkness all around him. It wouldn't be so different from his current situation. And it would be so easy.

Diant lifted his foot and took one step forwards, the end of his shoe hanging over the edge.

"Contemplating suicide?"

Diant jumped back in surprise before spinning around towards the voice. Standing there was a familiar blonde in an all-too-familiar black cloak.

"Exeamine," he said, eying her cautiously. He looked around, but didn't see anyone else. "Where're the other two?"

"Maieri and Fuuen? Who knows? Does it matter?" said the Lovely Reaper with a carefree, yet ever so sinister smile as she walked towards him. "Besides, do you really want them to see you like this?"

"Like what?" he said defensively, edging back a little before stopping as he came to the brink.

"You know, you really piss me off," said Exeamine suddenly, taking another step towards him. Her pink and green scythe suddenly flashed into existence in her hands, twirling easily about as she walked. "You've always pissed me off, ever since Kensuke and Xatheron first dragged you in out of the rain. When you were being cocky and acting like you were as good as any of the rest of us, that pissed me off. When you were teasing Fuuen, which I'd told you was solely my privilege, that pissed me off too. And when you stared me right in the eyes and wouldn't back down, well, that _really_ pissed me off." She swung her scythe around again, the weapon coming to rest easily over her shoulder, held lightly in one hand. "Of course, I kind of liked that in you. No, you know what really pissed me off?" She stopped right in front of him, leaning forwards until they were exactly eye to eye, their faces inches apart. Her eyes, a little angry, a little crazy, filled his entire vision. She was so close, he could feel her breath on his skin. "What _really_ pissed me off was when you were moping about, being all desolated and crap."

Diant didn't say anything. He didn't mind her breath on his skin. What really irritated him was that he noticed, for the first time, that she was a little taller than him. He never had asked her age. Or anything about her, for that matter. Not that it mattered at this point.

"Sometimes I'd turn a corner, and there you'd be, sulking or staring off into the distance, contemplating past sins or some crap like that," she growled, her forehead nearly touching his, her long blonde bangs already brushing against his face. "Like some tragic martyr or whatever. And then, if you weren't so far gone as to be completely insensate to the world around you, you might even turn and look my way. But not with those cocky, arrogant eyes you normally had. It was with those dumb as hell, blank stare eyes, as if you'd gone dead inside. As if you'd just given up on the world."

She was staring right into his eyes with an intense fury, now well beyond irritation. He stared back, his gaze slack and unconcerned if she killed him right there. After all, would it be any worse than falling into darkness and becoming Ansem's pawn again?

"_Those_ eyes!" she yelled angrily, pulling back from his face. "Those exact same damn eyes you have right now! Like you wouldn't give a damn either way if someone ended you right now. It makes me want to punch your face in!"

It was fast and unexpected. He had been watching her rage build, but he had been too self-absorbed in his own thoughts to even care. It wasn't until her arm was already flying towards him that he realized she was serious.

Exeamine's gloved fist slammed into Diant's face, sending him spinning with the impact. He went tumbling back, one foot skidding off over the edge and around again as he spun with the blow. For a moment, he hung there, over the edge of the Rising falls, only connected to the land by one foot, the rest of his body dangling over the abyss. The world spun and he found himself gazing down into the endless mists. He was falling.

He suddenly jerked to a halt, gasping as the collar of his shirt slammed against his throat, Exeamine's hand wrapped around the front of his shirt. He bounced hard against the sudden halt of his descent, turning as she pulled him partly, both feet touching back onto the ground. He hung there, leaning back over the edge, the only thing keeping him from falling the hand that had punched him, and now held him by the front of his shirt.

"Well, how about it? Do you want to die?" asked Exeamine, staring down at him in disdain as he hung over the edge. "Well, _do_ you?"

Diant couldn't answer. His heart was pounding in his chest, sweat trickling down his brow from the shock, blood trickling from his mouth from the punch.

"Pathetic," she hissed, turning about and swinging him back over onto the ground. She threw him unceremoniously onto the flagstones, staring down at him in utter contempt as he gasped for breath, struggling to his hands and knees. "All that, and you don't even want to die."

"Of course I don't want to die!" he yelled back at her, pounding a fist on the ground. "Are you crazy!?"

"That's the spirit," she murmured with a smile. "Get angry. Fight. To live is to fight. To give up is to die."

"But it seems so pointless," he said, sinking back onto his hands and knees, his head hanging between his shoulders. "Why should I keep on fighting if all I find is darkness?"

"Because you want to live," she replied bluntly.

"But what reason do I have to live for if everything is darkness?" he asked.

"Do you need a reason?" she asked. "Live for the sake of living. Find a reason later. But keep on fighting. Fight until your last breath, but keep on fighting."

When Diant didn't move, she walked over and, after careful consideration, kicked him in the side. Hard.

Diant grunted in pain and fell sprawling across the ground. When he didn't get up fast enough, Exeamine kicked him again. And again. And again.

"It doesn't matter what you've done or what you're doing," she continued, kicking him some more. "Or even where you've been or where you're going. If you give up, then it's all over. Your life meant nothing. So you have to fight!"

Finally, Diant managed to scramble to his feet before she got him again, her boot nicking his shoulder as he stood.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he demanded, swinging back at her with his aura blades. Exeamine dodged easily out of the way, her scythe swinging off her shoulder and back into her hands.

"That's it!" she said in vicious delight. "Fight!"

"Shut up!" he yelled, lunging at her. She jumped out of the way, laughing with sadistic glee.

"Well now, that's the Diant I like to see," she said. "You still piss me off, but in a way I can respect."

"You're insane," he spat at her.

"Yeah, yeah, you can thank me later," she said. "But right now, I'm going to kill you."

"What?" he said in surprise. "You just pissed me off enough that I want to live again, and now you're going to kill me? Why the hell would you do that?"

"Does it matter why?" she shouted back in response. "I want to kill you. I want to control you. I want to end your story right here, right now. That's all you need to know. If you know that, then you can hate me, and if you can hate me, you can fight me. So do it!"

With this, Exeamine lashed out with her scythe, a pink arc of energy slicing through the air towards him. Diant dodged to the side before charging at her. Exeamine spun her scythe before her, releasing a razor-edged storm of cherry blossoms, the pink flower petals slicing through the air towards him. Diant charged leapt directly into the center of the swirling vortex, ignored the paper-thin cuts the petals opened across his face, the fury of his battle aura simply burning through many of the flowers as he closed in on his target. Hitting the ground, Diant sprang at Exeamine, lashing out with quick, reckless slashes. The Lovely Reaper disappeared in a cloud of blossoms, reappearing behind the boy, scythe raised.

Diant barely ducked out of the way, blocking with both aura blades as she brought her scythe back up again for a second strike. He pushed forwards, throwing her back and off balance. Taking advantage of this, he lashed out with both blades in rapid succession, battering away at her hastily raised weapon as she tried to defend.

"Take this!" he shouted, bringing both blades down in a powerful overhead slash. Exeamine's body exploded in a cloud of blossoms as he cut into her, her laughing features disappearing in a wave of petals. Too late, Diant turned to see her bring her scythe up from behind, cutting into him and sending him flying back.

"Scatter, One Thousand Cherry Blossoms!" she incanted, swinging her weapon at him even as he fell back. A veritable blizzard of pink blossoms flew out from her towards the boy, the petals scattering and spinning through the air, razor sharp, engulfing Diant completely. He could do nothing as the hundreds of tiny blades cut into him, all over him. "Die!"

Diant couldn't even try to block as the cutting arc of pink energy scythed through the storm, cutting into him and sending him tumbling back, slamming hard into the cold flagstones that paved the ground. Blood dripped from his face, from all over his body, but he wasn't about to give up. Quickly scrambling to his feet, he charged at the Lovely Reaper, letting his rage overflow.

"Dark Aura!" he shouted as tendrils of darkness sprang from his chest, wrapping about his torso and encasing him in black covering. There was a jolting implosion in the air around him as he suddenly disappeared, the small halo of darkness he left behind instantly corroding the many cherry blossoms that floated in the air. He slammed into Exeamine hard, hitting her with both blades as he sped by before disappearing again, and then came shooting out again from a different angle. The strikes speeded up, until it seemed he was everywhere at once, disappearing and reappearing in explosions of darkness, catching Exeamine in a storm of blades. Finally, as she stumbled to the ground, he appeared before her, floating in the air, arms out to his sides, grips reversed, both blades pointed down, his chest encased in the shadow confines of his Dark Form. "Hah!"

He slammed both blades into the ground, great pillars of darkness exploding up all around him. However, as he straightened up, pulling his blades from the ground, he suddenly gasped in pain.

It felt like a burning in his chest, like he was being torn apart from the inside. Suddenly, the pain flared again and he stumbled, Joiner and Divider disappearing as he clutched his chest. He barely noticed as Exeamine got unsteadily to her feet. As she stood, he fell, going to his knees, one hand slamming on the ground to keep him from falling flat as the other gripped his chest.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" said Exeamine coldly, staring down at him. "Fight it. Live, and fight it."

"It hurts!" he gasped, panting for breath, sweat mingling blood as it dripped down his face.

"Of course it hurts. Hate hurts. Love hurts. Everything hurts," she said simply. "To live is to fight. To fight is to hurt. Both others, and yourself."

"Then just let me die," Diant managed to get out as another flare of pain took him and he fell to the ground, writhing in agony.

"Gladly," said Exeamine with a sadistic smile, raising her scythe above her head.

"Diant, no!"

There was a flash of darkness, and then once again, she was there. She stood there, Shadow Lance extended, between him and her.

"Anya…" he moaned weakly, looking up at her.

"To live isn't to fight. To live isn't to hurt," she said.

"Then why does it hurt so much? Why am I fighting so much?" he asked, struggling onto his hands and knees.

"Because, sometimes to live, we do have to fight," said Anya. "Sometimes, it does hurt to go on living. But you have to keep going, Diant. There will be times when you have to fight, when it hurts, but there will be times when you don't have to fight, times when it doesn't hurt. Times when you can be happy. You have to fight for that. If you give up… you can never be happy."

"Anya…" he said quietly as he stood there, kneeling without the strength to stand.

"Tch, not bad," said Exeamine, stumbling back from the pair. As she clutched one hand to the long, dark cut across her chest, her scythe disappeared from her other hand. "Maybe an idiot like you needs something to fight for. So here you go: fight for those happy times you think you might have."

"He _will_ have happy times in his future!" asserted Anya defensively, rounding on the Nobody.

"Whatever floats your boat," she said with a shrug. "The important thing is that he keeps fighting. Will you make sure he keeps fighting?"

"As long as he needs to," said Anya.

"That's all I need to hear," said Exeamine with a smile. "It'd be a shame to see a flame like his gutter out, rather than go out with a bang." She turned her attention back to Diant then. "Well, then, _brat_, I'll see you on the other side."

With that, she faded away in a cloud of darkness and cherry blossoms.

"Come on, Diant," said Anya, offering him her hand. "You have to keep fighting."

"For how long?" he said quietly, still staring at the ground.

"I don't know," she admitted. "But it won't get any shorter if you just sit here."

"Yeah," he sighed. He sat up and took her hand, pulling himself up with her help. "Yeah, you're right. I just have to keep going. Even if I don't know where this road is going, I have to keep walking. And maybe I'll see the end, no matter what kind of end it is."

"Yeah," she said with a small smile as he got to his feet. "We can see it together."

With that, the two of them walked off in the air full of sparkling light and swirling cherry blossoms, and then out of the White Room entirely.

* * *

_Zetsubou: Sorry the chapter's late (not that I have a schedule, but I try to get one up once a week). Oh well, I kind of had the last two early, so maybe that cancels it out? I got variously busy reading stuff and other junk, but mostly watching Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. It's a morbid comedy, a sort of high-school harem anime except the teacher's suicidal, and instead of charming points of moe, the students all have various neurotic disorders._

_This chapter is more like two chapters crammed into one because they aren't long enough by themselves. Oh well. I knew Erion's part would be interesting with his obsession over Ansem, but I didn't realize how much fun I'd have with Exeamine until I started writing it. I found it amusing to have them get so close it's almost like they're going to kiss or something... then she socks him one in the face. Ah, beautiful, violent, sadistic Exeamine. _


	19. Face to Face

Chapter 18: Face to Face

* * *

"What do you mean? You understood any of what she was talking about?" asked Daxtin in confusion. Rann nodded solemnly. "Well, what did Luciella mean? What did you figure out?" 

"This whole thing is a set-up," said Rann simply. "The girls, your memories, Diant, probably even their claim that this castle makes us lose memories… it's all a lie."

"All of it?" asked Daxtin incredulously.

"All of it," repeated Rann. "The girls went easy on us from the start, and they keep telling us information we need to know to continue. If they were really the bad guys, why would they do that? They want you to come here, they want to you meet that girl. This whole time we've been forgetting our pasts, the people we met, the things we did. The fact that I forgot Meili, the one thing most important to me, shows how thoroughly they're trying to erase everything. But throughout it all, one thing, instead of being forgotten, has been remembered. The one thing at the core of it all, and the biggest lie of all: Naminé."

"What do you mean?" demanded Daxtin angrily.

"Look at you," said Rann. "I say the slightest thing about her and you suddenly fly into a rage. Your Other's reckless and swingy, but I know you. This isn't you."

"You don't know me! We were on opposite sides just a week ago! I didn't even know you existed two weeks ago!" shouted the Nobody.

"I've fought you," said Rann. "I've beaten you. I've seen you in battle, and in defeat. It isn't like you to be so touchy, so angry."

"You're saying that my best friend is a lie! Why shouldn't I be angry?" yelled Daxtin. "This is ridiculous!"

"Think about it, Daxtin," reasoned Rann calmly. "We already know they can use the rooms in the castle to recreate, alter, and erase our memories. They've even implanted false memories to make the illusions in the rooms more realistic. Why couldn't they do the same outside the illusions? Your memory of Naminé's the only thing that hasn't faded as we traveled through the castle."

"That just shows how much I care about her, okay?" snapped Daxtin in frustration at his companion's unrelenting arguments.

"I thought Nobodies can't care," said Rann coldly.

"You know what I mean!" said Daxtin. "Why do you want me to abandon Naminé so badly?"

"I don't," sighed Rann. "I just want you to be aware that Naminé probably isn't who you think she is."

"That's it, I'm sick of this crap!" he yelled. "If you want to sit here and do nothing, fine! I'm going to save Naminé!"

Turning, Daxtin took off at a run from the scarred warrior, going up the stairs two at a time. He didn't stop until he came to the doors of the next White Room on the 12th floor, and even then only paused long enough to tear the doors open and run inside.

* * *

Naminé was drawing. She was alone in the brightly lit room, sitting in middle on a plain white chair. She drew the pencil she held across the paper in an arcing curve, hooking the end before placing it back in the tin with the others and selecting a different color. She drew with shaking hands, wishing she could stop but unable to. The loose jacket around her shoulders once again slid down her arms as she reached down for another color. 

In a few minutes, the drawing was finished. It was yet another picture from Daxtin's past. In the picture, he was sitting on top of a clock tower, watching the sunset and eating ice cream. With him were Anya and one other girl. _Her_.

Naminé took up her eraser and, stroke by stroke, rubbed her out of the drawing. Another picture changed. Ruined. Destroyed.

Halfway done, the eraser fell from her trembling fingers, bouncing on the cold stone floor before coming to a rest by her feet.

"Aren't you going to finish it?" asked Luciella, peering over Naminé's shoulder. The artist didn't even flinch at the girl's sudden appearance in the room, instead hunched over the half-erased drawing, hands brought up to her face. Luciella walked around her until she was in front, peering at the captive with head tilted to one side. "You're crying. You went through all this so you could meet him. Don't you want to?"

"Yes," sobbed Naminé quietly, "but not like this. This is… _wrong_. Everything's messed up. It isn't supposed to be like this. He doesn't remember _anything_ anymore…"

"He remembers you," said Luciella in a neutral tone.

"And he shouldn't," said Naminé. "I wish I could just stop all this."

"Then why don't you?" asked Luciella calmly.

"I can't!" she protested helplessly. "Lust said that I have to do this, and if I don't… if I don't…"

"I see," said Luciella, turning from her and walking away. She stopped a few paces away, back still turned to the captive girl. "You know, I don't see Lust around right now. Sam or Karie neither."

"What are you getting at?" asked Naminé cautiously, not sure what to make of this sudden change in topic.

"There's no one here to stop you right now," she explained simply.

"You're here," pointed out Naminé.

"Of course not," disagreed Luciella whimsically. "I'm busy off trying to hunt down the replica that ran off. It might be a while before I check in here to make sure you haven't run off and done anything rash."

"Ah," said Naminé as she suddenly understood. She got to her feet quickly, the drawing pad she held falling to the floor in a clatter.

"Good girl," murmured Luciella, smiling a little. "You know what to do. Do it right."

Not waiting for her captor to change her mind, Naminé took off at a run, her sneakers slapping against the stone floor as she ran off down the hallway, the door swinging slowly behind her.

Luciella watched her go, before turning back and walking over to Naminé's former post. She looked down with disinterest at the discarded colored pencils and drawing pad that sat at the foot of the empty chair. Then she smiled.

"Finally," she murmured to herself, "the stage is set. All the puppets are in motion in their preordained courses." She laughed softly. "Daxtin, Rann, Diant, Naminé, Sam, Karie, Lust… you're all players in my show, pawns and nothing more. You are the dolls, and I am the master." Her smile lessened, but didn't disappear as she looked back towards the empty hall and swinging door. "Now, to the final act…"

* * *

Daxtin blinked in the bright sun, shading his eyes as he was suddenly hit with the tropical heat. He was on a beach, the waves crashing gently against the soft, golden sands, palm trees swaying in the salty sea breeze, and the cry of gulls occasionally piercing the air. It was idyllic, peaceful, and strangely familiar. 

"This place is…" said Daxtin to himself, looking around at the peaceful island. "Oh, yeah! This is Destiny Islands!" He paused then, looking around. "But… it seems pretty peaceful. No Heartless or anything…"

He walked down the beach at an easy pace, not really remembering why he had come here. He remembered being in a rush for some reason, but he couldn't quite recall anymore. The pleasantly warm sunlight felt good on his skin, and despite himself, Daxtin found himself stretching his arms over his head and yawning.

"So… this is what home could be like," he said to himself, looking around with a slight smile. He continued down the tide line with no particular destination in mind, the warm weather and peaceful sounds lulling him into a sense of security. And so it was that he didn't even notice the two kids coming down the beach towards him until he almost ran into them.

"Hey, Daxtin," said the boy, causing him to jump a little in surprise.

"Oh, hi," said the girl, a little shyly.

"Um, hey…" said Daxtin a little awkwardly. He looked from one to the other, trying to remember who they were. They looked so familiar. The boy looked about fourteen or so and had tousled brown hair, waving off from his head in various directions, some of it framing one side of his open, innocent face. He had friendly blue eyes and a wide grin. He was wearing a short-sleeved hooded jacket over a white T-shirt, along with baggy zip-off pants, one leg converted to shorts, the other not.

The girl looked maybe a year older, with jaw-length black hair that smoothly conformed to the curve of her head. She had large, soft dark-colored eyes set in her pale face with a shy, but friendly expression. Despite the tropical air, she was wearing a black suit, complete with tie.

It seemed like he should really know them, but no matter how hard he looked at their faces, he just couldn't place the names.

"What's with that look?" asked the boy, folding his arms as Daxtin stared. "You hit your head or something? You look a little, well, stupid."

"Kir, don't say that!" protested the girl.

"Why not? He looks pretty dumbfounded, Anya," said Kir.

"Oh, right," said Daxtin, comprehension lighting his face. "You're Kir and Anya!"

"You feeling okay?" said Kir, the younger boy giving him a funny look.

"Leave him alone," said Anya, tugging at the brunette's sleeves. "He's probably just thinking about _her_."

"Oh, yeah," laughed Kir, "he always does get spacey when he's thinking about _her_."

"Sorry, I just…" apologized Daxtin sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it," said Kir with an easy smile. "You want to come with us? We were just about to head for the tree house."

"Well, um…" said Daxtin, trying to think up an excuse. He wasn't sure why, but he just felt that he had somewhere else to be, something else to do.

"We understand," said Anya with a little smile. "You're too preoccupied thinking about _her_. Well, we'll give you two some privacy. Come on, Kir."

"Oh, uh, thanks," replied Daxtin with a half-baked smile.

"We'll spy on you from a safe distance," said Kir with a laugh.

"Come _on_," said Anya, grabbing the younger boy by the arm and pulling him off down the beach. "Leave him alone."

"Hey, I was only joking!" protested the boy.

Daxtin watched them walk off, before looking back down the beach.

"Well, I guess I should go see _her_," he said to himself. "Now, where to look first?"

* * *

After checking several of the usual spots, Daxtin finally came to a small cove. Climbing down the rocky wall to the sand below, he spotted a figure leaning against a palm tree near the far side. Jogging down the beach, he stopped a few feet away from them, only to see it wasn't who he was looking for. 

"Oh, hey there, Nobody," called the figure amiably with a grin and a wave. "What's up?"

"Diant!" said Daxtin in surprise, jumping back a little.

"Hmm? Something wrong?" asked the other boy curiously.

"Are you all right? Do you remember we're friends now?" he asked in concern, though with a bit of caution.

"What are you talking about?" said Diant, giving him a weird look.

"Oh, right… you're the Diant from my memories, huh?" said Daxtin. He realized that this Diant wasn't wearing the Dark Form that the one he'd fought in the castle had; instead, he was wearing a jacket, shirt and pants. He guessed that they must be his normal clothes, having mostly only seen him in the Dark Form lately, and before that, in the robes of Organization XIII. "Not the one in the castle."

"Castle? I always thought Kir was the spacey one," said Diant. "Well, I guess you 'grew up' in Twilight Town, so maybe you're not used to the heat and it's fried your brain? But wait, don't they have a beach there, too?"

"No, it's not something like that," Daxtin tried to explain, but he wasn't sure how to say it.

"Well, whatever," said his Other with a shrug. "But get it together, okay? How are you gonna take care of _her_ if you're like this?"

Before Daxtin could say anything, there was a sudden rumbling in the ground. The island shook, and the sky suddenly went dark as black thunderclouds rolled in out of nowhere. After a moment, the tremors stopped, but Daxtin had a feeling that wasn't the end of it.

"What was that?" he asked, looking around to see if he could spot the source.

"No clue, but we better go check on the others," said Diant seriously.

"Yeah," Daxtin, getting ready to take off. Before he could move though, Diant stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, I'll go after those two," he said, turning his Nobody around in the other direction. "_You_ go after _her_, got it? Now get going!"

Daxtin nodded and took off in the indicated direction as his Other headed away from him. The tremors had stopped, but the storm clouds were still rolling in and now lightning was starting to flash on the horizon.

"I hope _she's_ okay," said Daxtin as he ran.

* * *

The storm was growing worse. As Daxtin ran, the sky continued to grow darker, the wind tearing at the palm trees and flinging sand into the air. The ground shook almost continuously, great renting cracks appearing all over. And still, he couldn't find her. 

Daxtin stumbled and was thrown to the ground as the whole island shook violently. When this latest tremor finally stopped, he got slowly back to his feet, looking around in awe. The whole island had been transformed, or more accurately, decimated.

The chunk of sandy rock he stood on floated desolately in an endless sea of darkness, other cracked pieces of land surrounding it in the storm. The sea was gone, as was most of the island, except for this blasted stretch of beach that he now stood on, floating in nothing.

"The islands…" said Daxtin in shock, almost unable to comprehend the scale of destruction at work. However, he didn't have time to be stunned. Without even looking, he could feel a looming presence of supreme darkness behind him. Turning around, he found himself facing a towering monstrosity of shadows, Darkside Heartless.

The enormous Heartless was a gigantic titan made of darkness, wavy tendrils of black enshrouding its face except for its two glowing yellow eyes. It had hulking shoulders and giant arms, made all the more imposing in comparison to the stunted black wings and relatively miniscule legs that carried it. Most prominent was the giant, heart-shaped hole in its chest.

Fighting the titanic Heartless seemed like a hopeless cause, but the thought never even occurred to Daxtin. He had only one thought on his mind.

"I have to protect_ her_," he said, before charging at the monster with aura blades in hand.

He slashed at the monster's dwarfed legs, but it didn't seem to have a whole lot of effect. He dodged back as the Heartless swung down at him with one of its enormous fists. However, instead of the ground shaking impact he expected, the hand went into the sand, disappearing into a sudden pool of darkness that appeared. Finding that the darkness spreading across the ground wasn't sucking him in, Daxtin charged across the black covering towards the sunken arm. However, before he could make it to the limb, a myriad of small Heartless shadows, bug-like antenna waving, crawled out from the pooling darkness, barring the way. The little creatures leapt at Daxtin, but he dispatched them with quick swings of the aura blades, dispersing them in puffs of dark mist. Finally cutting through the massing swarm of shadows, he leapt up onto the sunken arm, charging up the giant's limb towards what he hoped was the vulnerable head.

He rolled forwards just into to avoid the titan's other hand from crushing him against its arm, coming to his feet on its shoulders. He lashed out at the head with both blades, successfully inflicting damage, judging by how the Heartless shook and shuddered with each blow. However, just as he drew back a little to deliver a finishing blow, the entire Heartless dispersed into a dark mist, leaving him to fall to the ground below.

Daxtin hit the sand hard, barely staying on his feet. He just regained his balance in time to leap out of the way as the Darkside reformed, its crushing fist slamming into where he'd just been. As he dodged back from the swinging limbs, the Heartless leaned back, exposing the gaping heart-shaped hole in its chest to the stormy sky. A giant ball of energy began to form in the cavity, quickly gathering power. Daxtin ran towards it, hoping to disrupt the attack, but before he could reach the Heartless, the sphere of glowing energy shot up into the stormy sky. There was a rumbling crack, and then multiple pulsating balls of energy came raining down from the sky.

Daxtin dodged out of the way of some and used the black aura blade to divide others that he couldn't avoid. As the rain of energy bombs continued, Daxtin knew he had to attack the Heartless generating them to end it.

"Joiner!" he shouted, lashing out at one of the falling spheres with the white blade. A sparking tongue of lightning shot out from the tip, connecting with the slowly descending energy bomb. Swinging around, he flung the captured ball back at its creator. It exploded loudly against the Darkside Heartless, causing the giant to stumble back before dispersing into dark mist again.

The rain of explosions dealt with, Daxtin readied for the Heartless's next attack as it reformed before him. The titan raised its arms up towards the turbulent heavens, dark energy gathering in its palms.

"No way! I'm not giving you that chance!" yelled Daxtin, charging towards the Heartless. "Divine Strike!"

He flung both aura blades at the Heartless, each one flying straight and true. The two struck the Heartless in the center of the heart-shaped hole in its chest, stopping in the middle as if stuck firmly in, both crackling with black and white energy. Daxtin leaned back a little, similar thorny, black and white energy sparking around his hands as he held them out to each side.

"Heart Render!" he shouted, bringing both hands slamming together before him. The twilight energy he had gathered shot down his outstretched arms and leapt through the air, connected with the two grounded aura blades. There was an explosion of thorny void all across the gigantic Heartless, until the whole monstrosity disintegrated in a flash of darkness and twilight.

Joiner and Divider came flying through the air, and Daxtin caught them with deft ease, ready for anything. But it was over. Darkside was defeated. He sighed in relief and dismissed his weapons. However, just as he was about to relax, he remembered why he'd been in such a hurry, and tensed again in panic.

"That's right! I have to protect _her_," said Daxtin, looking around at the desolate landscape. He called out, "Naminé! Where are you?"

But how could she possibly still be okay? The islands had been torn apart, and the Heartless were everywhere. Just as he was about to despair, he turned around. And there she was.

She was just as he remembered. A delicate, slightly shy face with gentle blue eyes that peered out from the short bangs of her tousled platinum blonde hair. She was wearing the same tan capris and white tank top as when he'd last seen her, along with her too-large hooded blue sports jacket that kept slipping down off her shoulders.

"Naminé! You're all right!" he said in relief as he came to a stop before her, grabbing her hand warmly. "I've wanted so much to see you again. I fought really hard to get this far."

"I know," she said with a sad smile. "I really wanted to see you too."

"Naminé?" said Daxtin worriedly, picking up the uncertain tone in her voice.

"But… I was wrong," she said. "I wanted to meet you… but not like this. This is all wrong."

"What?" he said, confused.

"I've always been alone," she continued quietly, unable to meet his eyes. "It was so lonely, I just couldn't stand it." Eye downcast, she let her hand slip limply from his grip. "So I called out to your heart, and brought you here out of the void."

"The void?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "After you and Diant defeated No Heart, you two had become one. You should have gone back to just being Diant's body and soul, but…you resisted his heart… with your own. But when the worlds reorganized, and sent everyone to where they belonged, you had nowhere that you belonged, and so… you faded into the void. But I called you out of that, and into this place."

"And I'm glad you did. I'm really glad to see you again," he said with a genuine smile.

"I'm glad to see you too, but…" murmured Naminé, trailing off.

"Don't worry about it," he said earnestly, "I'll always protect you."

"Daxtin… thank you," she said with a grateful smile. "And… I'm sorry."

She stepped back away from him until several yards separated them.

"But I'm not the one who should be here," she said sadly.

"That's right," said another voice. Daxtin spun around in surprise, to find himself looking at another Naminé, though this one looked somewhat hazy, as if an image projected over a long distance.

"Naminé?" he said in surprise, unsure of what to make of this second girl.

"That's not me over there," continued the image-Naminé.

"I'm not in your heart," said the memory-Naminé.

"I'm a Nobody, just like you," said the second.

"But unlike you, I'm not in anybody's heart," finished the first.

"Naminé, what are you talking about? What's going on?" asked Daxtin in confusion, looking from one Naminé to the other. "We had all those adventures together! You were the one that made me feel most alive, even if I was a Nobody! But then in the last battle, we were separated. But I still cared. That's why I've fought so hard to see you again!"

"But is it really me you wanted to see?" asked the image-Naminé doubtfully.

"Of course it is!" said Daxtin, the conviction in his voice tinged with concern. Why was this going all wrong? "I've forgotten so much in this castle, but I'd never forget you. Look!" He reached into his jacket, and pulled out a piece of paper, unfolding it to show her. "Didn't you draw this for me?"

It was the same drawing he had been carrying the whole time, the one of him and Naminé watching a sunset on the beach.

"That's right, I did," said the memory-Naminé with a smile.

"No, don't trust me!" protested the image-Naminé. "That drawing… is a fake."

"A… fake?" asked Daxtin, looking down at the picture as the memory-Naminé turned away from him.

"I had Sam plant it on you when you fought," confessed the image-Naminé guiltily. "I, or anyone else, never gave you something like that. The real keepsake is something you gave to _her_."

She waved her hand, and the drawing he held disappeared. In its place, was a black chain necklace, the pendant dangling off it a spiked cross with a circle for the center.

"My necklace…" said Daxtin, reaching up to his neck and suddenly realizing he wasn't wearing it. "I… gave it to someone?"

"To the one who was most important to you," said Naminé. "The one that I'm just a shadow of. She's the one who shines in the depths of your heart. Call together the fragments of your memory. No matter how far the light is, your voice will reach it."

"Who's most important to me? Isn't it obvious?" said Daxtin, his gaze falling to the replica necklace he held in his hand. "It's Nami–"

There was a flash of light as the necklace disappeared. In its place was a note in his handwriting, that he didn't remember writing, but was sure he had written for someone.

_Being nobody, being the shadow of somebody…  
Broken halves of a fractured whole.  
Can I still love you, even if I'm no one?_

"This is…" he trailed off, looking up towards the memory-Naminé. As she turned to face him, she suddenly faded, replaced by the image of another. The same face, but with a warmer, more open smile, playful blue eyes, and deep red hair that fell neatly about her face, some of it partly covering one eye. She wore a light aqua-green long-sleeve top that left her shoulders and midriff exposed, along with a matching skirt. And around her neck was his necklace.

"You're…" started Daxtin, only to realize that he couldn't remember her name.

* * *

"Naminé!" shouted Daxtin as he came running out of the White Room. The girl was standing with her back to him a little ways down the hall. He stopped a few feet away from her. "It isn't you. The one most important to me… it isn't you, is it?" 

"No," she agreed. "The one most important to you… the girl that was always with you, that made you feel alive… wasn't me. It was her."  
"But… who is she?" asked Daxtin. "I can't think of her name. If she's so important to me… why can't I remember?"

"It's because…" she started, "I went into your memories and –"

"Let _me_ explain this in terms even this idiot can understand," said a familiar voice. There was a swirl of darkness, and then Sam was there besides Naminé, an arrogant grin on her face. "You've been duped."

"What?" asked Daxtin in confusion.

"Manipulated, tricked, messed with and messed up," she said. She looked up towards the older girl, who avoided her gaze. "Y'know, Naminé, behind that shy appearance, you do some really awful things."

"What do you mean?" asked Daxtin.

"Are you _that_ dense?" said Sam incredulously. "Don't you get it? Messing with people's memories is the only thing this Nobody is good for," she explained, waving a hand towards Naminé. "She rearranges memories, takes them apart, or draw memories of things that never happened. In this castle, she can even manipulate objects into keepsakes." She laughed a little at the desolate look on Daxtin's face. "That's right. The girl you've been dying to reunite with is just a manipulative witch who enslaves people with phony memories!"

"Then… everything I remember about Naminé…" said Daxtin.

"All lies!" laughed Sam viciously. "It was all a distorted illusion that Naminé drew for you! Binding you in the chains of your own memories was central to our plan. We almost had you." she said with a smile. But her face suddenly turned dark. "This was our chance to capture a piece of the prophecy, the Nobody with a Heart… but then that bitch Luciella had to ruin everything!"

Clenching her fists angrily, she began striding down the hall towards Daxtin.

"She ruined everything and betrayed our Mistress, the very one who created us!" she growled. "I knew something was up, but Lust always did favor her." She cracked her knuckles menacingly as she approached the boy. "Oh well, nothing for it now…"

"Wait!" said Naminé, running ahead and placing herself between the two of them.

"What's this?" growled Sam in smoldering rage. The sight of the young red head glaring angrily up at the taller Naminé would have been comical if Daxtin hadn't known how serious a threat Sam presented. "Isn't it a little late to be growing a conscience? After all, aren't _you_ the one who got him into this mess?"

"But…" said Naminé uncertainly, refusing to move.

"I am _not_ in the mood for this," snapped Sam. "Thanks to you, all our plans are ruined!" At this last word, she spun about, catching Naminé in the side with a high round-house kick, sending the girl flying.

"Naminé!" shouted Daxtin in concern as the girl hit the cold stone floor hard.

"What? Is that distress I hear?" snarled the fighter incredulously. "You don't even know her!"

"Maybe not…" said Daxtin, "Maybe my memories are fake… but they're my memories, and I'm going to be true to them! No matter what, I'll protect Naminé!"

"Don't you get it? They're fake! What use is there in being true to them?" shouted Sam in frustration. At seeing the determined look on his face, she only sighed and shook her head. "Fine then. It's your funeral!"

With that, she leapt towards him. Daxtin dodged back from the first punch, the impact shaking the air as he moved out of the way. He lashed out with his aura blades, but Sam dodged nimbly back, executing a flip in mid-air before kicking off of a stone pillar to send herself flying back at him. Daxtin blocked, the impact of her fists against his blades sending shivers up his arms. He continued to defend against her relentless flurry of punches, each one sending him a step back. He knew that he should be able to take her on, but he was still so tired from fighting that giant Heartless. And with her entire attention focused on him, it seemed to Daxtin that she was more formidable than he remembered. If only he had some help…

"Take this!" said Sam, jumping up and kicking at him with both legs in a flying cartwheel. The first kick knocked his blades out of the way; the second sent him sprawling. Before he could even try to get up, she was there before him, energy crackling from her fist, waiting to be released as she raised her arm back over her head. "Time to end this!"

"Not yet!"

Sam was sent stumbling back as a fireball slammed into her. Before she could recover her balance, she was forced to retreat as a flash of steel cut through the air.

"Rann!" said Daxtin in surprise, seeing the gunbladier suddenly there, defending him.

"You're just a load of trouble, aren't you, kid?" said Rann in exasperation. "Really, you're lucky that I feel so obligated to do good deeds after that stint in Organization XIII."

"Thanks," said Daxtin with a grin, getting to his feet. "So you came for my sake?"

"Not really," said the warrior. "Mostly just to exact some revenge on anyone who would try to make me forget Meili."

"You again?" spat Sam angrily, throwing up her arms. "Why do all of Luciella's mess-ups become _my_ problem? Oh, right, because she's a traitor, that's why!"

"Oh, quite whining about your personal affairs and fight already," said Rann tiredly.

"Fine then," said the girl grimly. "You asked for it. _Accelerate_!"

She disappeared suddenly, reappearing immediately before Rann. However, having seen it before, the scarred warrior was ready for it, and blocked with his gunblade against her flurry of supersonic punches.

Daxtin lashed out at her back, but Sam easily dodged out of the way, jumping back before lunging back in at him. Daxtin could barely keep up with her attacks, unable to block in time even if he could see where she was going to strike. The pressure eased a little as Rann attacked her, but still the girl easily dodged both their combined attacks with ease and counterattacked with time to spare.

"She's too fast!" said Daxtin, failing to block another punch.

"Don't give up!" shouted back Rann, swinging at Sam with a powerful diagonal cut. The redhead dodged under the swipe easily then took advantage of his overextending to strike him multiple times in the gut before finished off with a powerful kick, sending him flying back.

"Rann!" yelled Daxtin. He turned then to Sam, anger in his eyes, the orbs inset into his aura blades glowing brightly. He charged at her, both blades shining. "Take this! Timessault!"

He swung at her with both blades, each one leaving bluish afterimages as they swung faster and faster. At first, Sam could easily dodge the strikes, but as they gained in speed, she had to start blocking them, and then, as they accelerated past her own speed enhancement, she could do nothing but retreat and try to lessen the blows.

Daxtin swung continuously faster, his arms speeding through time to hit in almost continuous succession, never giving Sam a chance to recover. Knocking her arms out of the way, he struck her with a powerful upwards slash, sending her tumbling back. As she stumbled to a halt, he leveled Joiner at her, a beam of light firing from the tip.

"Stop!" he shouted as it struck her. The ethereal image of a clock appeared before her as she froze in place, the hands on it slowing until they halted in a final stop. Then it disappeared, leaving Sam stuck in place, still as a statue.

"Not bad, kid," said Rann, walking up with Daxtin.

"But not good enough," said Sam, making them both look towards her in surprise.

Slowly, but surely, she was beginning to move again. Her face unfroze first, becoming a grimace of effort as she wrenched the rest of her body out of its temporal binding.

"Reversal of time acceleration until you trap them in their own speed boost," she noted. "Too bad my boost is an acceleration of metabolism and muscle reaction, rather than straight time-manipulation, or that might have been permanent."

"But you can't beat us with that move now," pointed out Daxtin.

"That's why I'm here to help!" said a cheery voice. There was another swirl of darkness and then Karie was there also.

"What are you doing here?" asked Sam irritably.

"Well, you looked like you were having trouble," said the blonde sister, "so I thought I'd help out."

"Fine, just don't get in my way," growled Sam.

"And now there's two of them," groaned Rann.

"It doesn't matter," said Daxtin. "I'll protect Naminé, no matter what!"

He charged at Sam, only to be forced to dodge back by one of Karie's bolts of lightning. Sam immediately followed up, leaping at the boy with fist ready, but Rann came in then, knocking her away with a blast of fire and slash of his gunblade. While Rann occupied her, Daxtin went after the spell-caster. Karie launched blasts of ice at him, but he easily deflected them, soon having her on the retreat as he struck out with both blades.

"Hey, Karie," shouted Sam as she blocked another of Rann's strikes, "let's use _that_!"

"Okay!" said the other girl cheerily. She disappeared suddenly before Daxtin could hit her, reappearing in the center of the hall along with her redhead sister. A series of magic circles appeared in the air around the pair, surrounding them. Multi-colored energy channeled from Karie down to Sam, and then from her into three spaces set in the large magic seal that had formed on the floor.

"Elemental Powers: Trinity of Fighters!" they both shouted in unison.

There was a flash of light, and then Sam was gone. Instead, three versions of her, one each in red, blue and yellow, stood in the three circles in the magic seal. Karie remained hovering in the center of the various arcane circles hovering in the air.

"This again?" said Rann, sizing up the three fist fighters.

"No problem!" said Daxtin, charging at them. He attacked the red Sam, dodging her fiery punches before lashing out with both blades, knocking her back. As he did, the blue Sam attacked, her punches leaving chill frost on whatever she hit. Daxtin barely dodged on strike, feeling the cold on his cheek, before spinning around and knocking her away. He had not time to follow up on this as the third Sam lunged at him, lightning crackling from her hands. He blocked with both aura blades before flinging her back with a forceful shove towards the other two. "Joiner!"

He leveled the white aura blade at the trio, a beam of light firing from the tip. However, when it struck them, it shattered harmlessly against a shimmering shield around them, sending a pulse of energy from the trio to the circle of runes that orbited around Karie.

"Not gonna work!" said one of the Sams, lunging forwards at him with a burst of flame.

"So, the other one is shielding her from that kind of interference," reasoned Rann, eying Karie. "But it looks like that's taking up all her concentration."

Taking the initiative, the scarred brunette charged towards the center of the hall, leaping up at the many rotating magical circles that Karie resided within. However, before he could strike at her, the blue Sam appeared before him.

"That won't work either!" she said with a grin, spinning about and knocking him down with a kick. He hit the floor hard, grimacing and shaking off the thin layer of frost that had formed across his jacket.

Meanwhile, Daxtin had his hands full trying to deal with both the red and the yellow Sam. Between the fiery punches and lightning-infused kicks, he was having a hard time doing anything more than remaining on the defensive.

"How can we beat them?" said Daxtin as he and Rann came back to back, facing off against the elemental trio. "We can't hurt Sam as long Karie's shielding her…"

"…and we can't hurt Karie as long as Sam's protecting her," finished Rann, blocking a blast of fire and deflecting an icy punch. "If we could just break that connection…"

"That's it!" said Daxtin. "Rann, get ready!"

"For what?" he asked, but Daxtin was already running off towards the center of the hall. The three Sams broke off from Rann to follow after him, but weren't fast enough to stop his approach. As he came to the outer edge of the magic seals, he pointed the black aura blade at the many runes that circled around Karie.

"Divider!" he said. There was a flash of light, and for a moment, in the air, three lines of power connecting Karie to the trio of Sams were visible. And then, suddenly, they were severed, the magic seals surrounding Karie shattering. "Joiner!"

Daxtin aimed the white blade at the approaching trio, a beam of light shooting towards them. This time, however, it struck home. The three Sams were pulled together suddenly, and then, in a sudden flash, were back to the one red-haired, green-eyed fighter, looking more than a little dazed.

"Now!" shouted Daxtin, jumping out of the way.

"Lionheart!" shouted Rann, lifting his gunblade high. Energy burst from the blade, coalescing into a giant crystalline edge. Holding the enormous blade aloft, the scarred warrior brought it down hard.

"Uh-oh," squeaked Karie as she watched it descend.

"Oh, shi-!" said Sam, bracing for impact.

The blade came crashing down into the floor, sending tiles of perfect white stone flying up along with shattered carven roses as the pair disappeared in short-lived swirls of darkness.

Daxtin and Rann both waited to see if anything more would happen, but nothing did. The pair of sisters had been defeated.

"Glad that's done with," said Rann, sheathing his gunblade.

"Yeah," agreed Daxtin, sighing with relief. He perked up again as he remembered the reason he'd been fighting so hard. "Ah, Naminé! Naminé, are you all right?"

He looked around, then ran over to where the teenage girl was huddled in a corner, out of the way of the fighting.

"Daxtin…" she said gratefully, smiling up at him.

"I'm glad you're okay," he said, helping her up.

"So, you're Naminé, huh?" said Rann, giving her one of his hard stares. "You're… not the one Daxtin's looking for, are you?"

"No, I'm not," she agreed sadly.

"But I know that's what he thought," he said. "How'd you do it?"

"I'm a Nobody," she began, "and I can manipulate memories. I took the people and places from Daxtin and Diant's memories, and then, little by little, I replaced them with fake memories. Some parts I erased entirely."

"So his promise to meet you…"

"A lie. All lies," she said quietly. "Daxtin never promised me anything. My being with him on his adventures… even my being on Destiny Islands, was all a lie. This is the first time we've ever met. I was never Daxtin's friend."

"And you were never anything more than that…" finished the boy sadly.

"Yes," she said. "In your true memories, I was never there."

"So, you're the reason I lost my memories also," said Rann, taking a step towards her. She nodded guiltily.

Before either her or Daxtin could react, Rann grabbed her by the neck, slamming her against the wall. He looked down at her with cold fury as she struggled against his grip, his gunblade raised.

"Rann, what are you doing?" shouted Daxtin in sudden panic.

"You manipulated us," said Rann coldly. "You played with our memories, misled us, and almost got us killed. But most of all, you made me forget Meili. I should kill you right now."

"Rann, let her go!" yelled Daxtin, drawing Joiner and Divider.

"No, he's right," said Naminé quietly, stopping her struggles and going limp in his grasp. "I did do all of that. Just because I was alone. For my own selfish reasons, I made this whole mess. It's nothing less than what I deserve."

Rann continued to gaze down at her with deadly intent.

"And do you really believe that?" he asked.

"Yes," she said quietly. "I just… wanted to be with Daxtin. To not be alone. But I guess it wasn't meant to be." She smiled sadly, a tear rolling down her cheek. She looked over to Daxtin. "I'm just glad I got to meet you this once."

"Naminé…" said Daxtin in surprise. He looked desperately from her to Rann, hoping to see someway to save her.

"So be it," said Rann, bringing his blade down.

Naminé closed her eyes tightly as he struck. Before Daxtin could even shout in protest, there was a flash of steel and aloud crack as the blade bit into the wall behind her. But then Naminé felt her feet hit the ground and the hand around her neck release her. She opened her eyes as she fell in surprise into Daxtin's arms, watching Rann pull his blade from the wall next to where she had been pinned and turn away.

"I like your honesty," said the scarred warrior, sheathing his blade. "And you're being here proves that you tried to fix your mistake. Everyone deserves a second chance. If I get one, then so should you."

"Rann…" said Daxtin, still in shock.

"Thank you," said Naminé, getting to her feet with Daxtin's help.

"So, is there anyway we can get our memories back?" asked Rann, turning back towards her and leveling his intense gaze on her.

"Not right away," she said, "but if we go to the 13th floor, I can fix everything." Her face turned downcast then. "But, Lust…"

"Those girls' Mistress, the one who made you tamper with our memories?" he supplied.

"Yes," she said with a nod. "She said she'd keep me locked in the castle forever if I didn't obey. I've been alone so long… I'm sorry." She looked away from them, tears filling her eyes.

"Don't be," said Daxtin in concern. "Please don't cry."

"I know," she said with a depreciative smile, "I don't have the right…"

"That's not what I meant!" he said suddenly.

"What?"

"I mean," began Daxtin, "I'm not really happy with you messing with our memories but… I can't really be mad with you either. The memories that you gave to me… I know they're lies in my head, but they still feel right. So… when you cry, I feel like I've really let you down." He shook his head sheepishly. "So please, don't cry. Even if those memories were fake, you aren't. You're here, and you're real. And what I feel now is real. I don't want you to cry. I want you to be happy."

"Thank you," she said with a small smile.

"Well, we better get going then," said Rann. "Lust is up ahead, so you should probably stay here, Naminé."

"Yeah, we'll deal with her, then come get you," said Daxtin with a smile.

"Okay," she said with a nod. She watched as the two of them headed up the stairs. Watching them go, she couldn't help but call out. "Daxtin!"

"Yeah?" he asked, turning back towards her.

"Be careful," she said, a concerned look on her face.

"Don't worry," he said. "It's all going to be fine. I promise."

* * *

Sam winced, waiting to feel the cutting power of the blade rend her flesh. But it never came. 

When she opened her eyes, she found herself and Karie in the dark, endless shadows going on in all directions.

"Is this… the Dark Realm?" asked Karie curiously, looking about.

"No," disagreed Sam. "This is something else. And I think I know who…"

"Very good," came a soft, lilting voice from the darkness. Luciella stepped out from the shadows, a small smile playing on her lips.

"You've got a lot of nerve showing your face around here, traitor!" growled Sam.

"Is that anyway to greet the one who saved your life?" said Luciella absently, turning her attention to gradually dismembering her stuffed rabbit some more. "How ungrateful."

"Don't brush me off, sister!" said Sam, lunging towards her. She gasped in surprise as her body halted, shadowy strings binding her in place.

"Now, do you understand your situation?" said Luciella coldly, turning her gaze back to her caught sibling.

"Yes," hissed Sam ruefully.

"I don't," said Karie innocently, raising her hand.

"You have two options," explained Luciella calmly. "Disappear forever into the darkness… or serve me."

"You mean be your puppets," growled Sam.

"No, you'll keep your own mind," said the dark girl. "But you must bind yourselves to my will."

"Just another two dolls in your collection, huh?" said Sam. She laughed ruefully. "Fine then. It's better than dying, even if obeying you is going to be insufferable. I'll do it."

"And you?" asked Luciella, turning to the second sister.

"Mmm, okay!" said Karie cheerfully.

"All according to plan," said Luciella with a thin smile.

"This was your plan?" asked the honey-blonde curiously.

"Of course," said the gothic girl simply. "Everything in this castle is a puppet dancing to my will."

"Now I understand," said Sam, brushing herself off as the shadowy strings released her, "why they call you the Doll Master."

* * *

_Almost There: Yep, there is only one chapter (though it may be a long one) left in Daxtin's side of this story. This chapter ended up kind of long too. I'm a little disappointed in having to go so closely to the CoM script, but this part of the story is so similar, ah well. I got to throw in a twist with Rann's reaction. Donald and Goofy, he is not._

_Been busy lately again (maybe I should just consider this the new norm?). Le sigh. I haven't touched any of my Touhou games in two weeks. Ah, well._

_I'm still having fun reading Searching for Sanctuary (by Aloria) and Lost Sanctuary (by SwordDemon). Is it weird they both contain the word "Sanctuary"? Or did I already comment on this? Oh well._

_BTW, TFC has hit 150 pages. Yaaay. It seems likely that it will surpass MoN in length, if not chapters._


	20. My Sins

Chapter 19: My Sins

* * *

"What a surprise," said a venomously smooth voice as they exited the White Room. "You really made it this far without succumbing to the darkness." 

"Ansem," snarled Diant, drawing Joiner and Divider.

"I told you," said the handsome swordsman from where he stood, a little ways down the hall, "to call me 'Pride'."

"How about 'you bastard'?" the boy shouted back with a cocky grin.

"As arrogant as ever," noted Pride, crossing his arms. "Is it sheer spite that's let you continue this far?"

"Maybe," said Diant. "Or maybe your darkness is just weak!"

"You're strong, I'll admit that," said Pride, glaring at him with his lightning blue eyes. "If you weren't, I'd never have chosen you to be my successor. But do not overestimate your own worth; in the end you are still a pawn. You cannot defy your master; that is the way of the world."

"That's not true!" said Anya, to the surprise of both Diant and Pride. She looked from one to the other unsurely before continuing. "If you're true to yourself, no matter who you are, you never have to follow anyone you don't want to. Emeline created me as a pawn… but I'm my own person now! If even someone like me can resist, then there's no way you can control Diant!"

"Anya…" said Diant, stunned by her sudden defense of him. Pride, however, did not seem amused.

"You overestimate him also," he said coldly. "His arrogance is clouding your judgment. Do you really think the hollow shell of bravado and regret you call 'Diant' can possibly resist the powers of darkness? You're both fools. You, who know so little, could never comprehend how insignificant you are in the face of the darkness I control. I am one of the Seven; there is only one who is greater than us, our master, and all others are but mere insects. You should not think yourself so special just because I have singled you out, boy."

"I don't think I'm special," shot back Diant, "I just think you're a worthless has-been. You're nothing big."

"Oh?" murmured Pride in mock surprise. "But isn't it you who has so feared my drawing near as you traversed this castle? Isn't it you who has been struggling with the darkness that claws at your heart, crying out in pain? Isn't it you who fell to such depths of despair as to contemplate ending your own life? You may act brave now, but I've been watching you, Diant. You know how useless your struggle is."

"Shut up! You want some struggle? Draw your sword!" shouted Diant, stepping forwards and swinging his aura blades about a few times.

"I haven't come here to fight," said Pride, lifting his hands in a show of such intentions. "Rather, I am here to give you a gift."

"Somehow, I don't think I'll like it," spat Diant, stepping in front of Anya so that he was between her and Pride. He had no idea what Pride was up to, but he was sure it wouldn't be good. He doubted he could avoid whatever it was, but at the very least, he would make sure Anya wasn't harmed by something intended for him. No reason she should suffer for his problems.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure," disagreed Pride with a sinister smile. "The last time I imparted upon you such darkness, you seemed so pleased." He lifted a hand before him, lazily pointing his arm towards Diant. "The darkness in your heart pains you so because it is growing out of control. It is wild, ravenous. So I'm going to do you a favor." He snapped his fingers, and Diant felt a sudden flash of pain in his chest, so intense that his legs crumpled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

"What… did you do to me?" he managed to gasp out as he struggled to get to his hands and knees, fighting the burning pain. As the pain faded, he breathed in ragged gasps, relieved that it was over, but wary of the new sensation he felt. Something strange in his heart. Something powerful.

"I've fortified the darkness within you," explained the swordsman. "After you denying it so long, its edges were ragged, its form undisciplined. So I refocused it, forged it anew into a new blade worthy of being my tool. And in doing so, tied it inextricably to you."

"You bastard," growled Diant from where he knelt on the ground, still clutching his chest. He could feel that what he said was true; the darkness had been concentrated, empowered, and now rather than scrabbling desperately at his heart, it encased it totally.

"I told you, call me 'Pride'," said the Seeker of Darkness with a hint of a smile. With a wave of his hand, he disappeared in a column of darkness, but his voice still lingered. "You cannot fight the inevitable. Submit, and be mine."

Diant only glared at where he had stood in silence, before finally sagging in exhaustion. Anya reached down a hand, which he took gratefully, and helped him up.

"Are you all right?" she asked in concern.

"I suppose," he said, brushing himself off and bringing a hand to his chest. "It doesn't hurt anymore. But I'm not so sure that's a good thing. Now the darkness is a complete cover. It feels almost… natural." He sighed and shook his head in frustration. "Maybe I am just supposed to be in darkness. It's not like I haven't done anything to deserve that."

"Diant…" said Anya, her eyes wide with concern.

"Come on, let's get going," he said, brushing her off and heading down the hall. "The 4th basement floor's just ahead. Just four more floors until we're out of here." And he mentally added, _Or until I'm lost for good_.

* * *

Before them loomed a large black castle, high and imposing beneath the stormy sky. The gate was open and the grounds were empty, though here and there unseen creatures lurked in the shadows; whether they were Heartless or something else was unknown, but Diant didn't really care either way. He was more preoccupied with the castle itself. 

"I was wondering when we'd visit this place," he said under his breath.

"Why, where are we?" asked Anya. Diant mentally filed away that the girl had sharp ears. Or perhaps she was just a good listener?

"This is Darkheart Castle," he explained, starting off towards the open gates. "Ansem's stronghold. The Sorceress Adenna took over it and along with Selim, Valentine and the others, used it as their base of operations, until we defeated them. The final battle with Adenna was here, but… it wasn't the victory we had hoped for."

"What do you mean?" asked Anya, following him across the courtyard towards the large wooden doors of the castle.

"It was because of that incident that I became Ansem's final apprentice," he said grimly, pushing them open and walking inside, into the heart of the darkness.

* * *

"So, what are we looking for?" asked Anya after a while. She had dropped the topic of the events that had transpired in the castle when Diant had stopped talking, and they had been searching through several rooms and hallways for the past half hour in silence. 

"Something," replied Diant vaguely, unceremoniously kicking another door open and taking a quick look into the empty room before the door bounced off the wall and rebounded back. "Anything. Or anyone." He sighed in exasperation. "We'll probably have to fight another damn phantom from the past. Maybe Ansem himself. Though it'd be the one from the past, not… Pride." He spat out the epithet, angry that he'd been forced to resort to Ansem's new chosen name.

"What's over here?" called Anya, looking at a large pair of ornately decorated doors. From their size, it seemed they lead to a large hall or other enclosure, rather than a personal room like many of the other doors on the hallway had.

"Let's… not go in there," said Diant evasively, moving to pull her away.

"Why not? It's probably one of the only places we haven't been," she reasoned, stepping towards the doors and grasping the iron wrought handles. "It looks important."

"Unfortunately," said Diant quietly as she pushed the large doors open.

Inside was a large circular room centered about a large round table that glowed green in the center. Above the table floated a number of projected images, some of free-floating charts and lists, others three-dimensional diagrams of planets and locations. Around the projector-table were a number of seats, along a number of computer screens lining the outside wall between the four doors that led into the room.

"This looks like… some kind of war room," hazarded Anya, looking about warily. Her caution was unneeded; there was no one there.

"That's because it is one," said Diant. He sighed as he looked about. He was sure it had been an interesting, if sinister place to be when it had been in use by Adenna and her cohorts, but he had only seen it after the fact. And often.

He remembered spending hours here, talking to the disembodied voice that had haunted him, guided him. Planning, scheming, learning, understanding. Just himself in an empty room with a bodiless voice. Looking back, he wasn't sure whether to be relieved or not that it turned out the voice was indeed someone else and not just his imagination. After all, the person it had turned out to be…

"Look at all these names," said Anya in awe, now down by the edge of the projector-table. "Are these all worlds?" She began reading off the list she was looking at. "Land of Dragons… corrupted. Deep Jungle… destroyed. Rabanastre… locked. Midgard, corrupted. Balamb, locked; Alexandria, corrupted; Agrabah, corrupted; Arcadia, destroyed; Traverse Town, lost; Port Royale, corrupted… the list goes on and on. I can't believe they attacked so many places."

"I can," said Diant grimly. "I'm responsible for almost half that list."

"What?" said Anya in surprise, turning to him. He didn't meet her gaze, instead he stared with his eyes fixed on the floating charts and maps that floated above the table. Even then, his eyes weren't really looking at the projection, but far off, into the past.

"I told you before," he continued, "we're too different. Even if you walk in darkness, you haven't done evil. I have. I've tried to capture the hearts of at least a dozen worlds, and unleashed the Heartless on at least a dozen more. I've seen cities burn, or devoured in darkness. All at my hand, just because I sought the darkness."

"Why? Why would you do that?" she asked, unable to comprehend what she was being told. This was Diant, Daxtin's other, wasn't it? Kir and Kairi's best friend, right?

"At first, it was for them," he explained tiredly. "When we came, the three of us, after defeating Selim, Valentine, Hades, Erion, and so many others… we came here, almost half a year ago, to finally face who we thought was the mastermind behind the Heartless and all this darkness: Sorceress Adenna. Well, we fought her. But with her final spell, she attempted to send us into the darkness, one by one. She hit Kir first, since he was the keyblade master. I think the keyblade must have protected him, because he says that he just ended up back in Radiant Garden. After that, Adenna attacked Kairi. I tried to protect her, but the blast sent her flying back towards me and… she just passed right through, and disappeared into the darkness. And that was when I first heard the voice. A voice that spoke to me in the depths of my heart.

"What did it say?" asked Anya, riveted by the story.

"It told me how to use the darkness. Turn it back on her," continued Diant. "So I did. I defeated Adenna… but the Heartless were still there. The worlds still weren't restored. I had no idea where Kir and Kairi were. All I had was this voice." He sighed. "It told me that darkness was everywhere. So if I could harness that darkness, I could find my friends. I agreed to follow its advice, and learn how to control the darkness. For my efforts, I was given the Dark Form.

"At first, all I did was revisit the worlds we had been to. I used my new powers of darkness to go places I hadn't been allowed before. I looked into the powers of Valentine and all those others, eager to uncover their powers of darkness. And with the voice's help, I added their darkness to my own. Little did I know that just this act brought the Heartless back to these places we'd worked so hard to restore."

"Well, that's not your fault," said Anya. "You didn't know."

"Yeah, at that point," agreed Diant half-heartedly. "But I discovered this darkness wasn't enough. I still couldn't find Kir, or more importantly to me at the time, Kairi. I needed more darkness. So then it moved to corrupting the hearts of others and harvesting that darkness. Then it went to the creation of Heartless. And then unleashing them on innocent worlds so I could harvest the hearts of the worlds, corrupted by darkness." He laughed ruefully. "By then I was long past looking for my friends. I wanted darkness for darkness's sake. I didn't remember why I was gathering this darkness, other than that I needed more of it. Ever so willingly, I became a monster.

"It was then, when I was steeped in total darkness, that the voice revealed itself to me: it was Ansem, one of the very people who we had sought, in vain, to aid us in our struggle against the Heartless. But now instead of the wise scholar we'd been told of, he was the Seeker of Darkness, made bodiless by an event five years prior that happened in this very castle. Now he was just a severed heart of darkness looking for a fitting vessel. And he'd crafted me into just that. After that, I became a slave in my own body as he took over. And I remained that way until Kir defeated him, defeated us, like the monsters we were. The monster I still am."

"Diant," said Anya quietly, "you're not. That was the past. You were manipulated. You've changed."

"Have I?" he asked doubtingly. "After I was lost in the darkness, some time later, I'm not exactly sure how long, I found myself in The World That Never Was. There, I was found by the Organization. They offered me what I saw as the only way to cleanse myself of my past sins: Kingdom Hearts. Never mind that I'd have to repeat all of my past sins to achieve that goal. I'm such a fool."

"But Diant, you said it yourself," pleaded Anya, "it was because you couldn't bear to face your friends otherwise. You did it for their sake. Even if it was wrong, both times you did it for the sake of your friends."

"That doesn't change that it was wrong," said Diant, shaking his head. "I've only ever done the right thing with Kir and Kairi by my side. By myself, I've only ever done wrong."

"Well, maybe with me by your side," said Anya, "you can do right this time?"

"Heh, moral guidance from a Heartless?" laughed Diant morbidly. "The depths to which I've sunk…"

"Come on, let's keep looking," urged Anya, seeing her efforts to console him weren't working. She grabbed his sleeve and pulled him towards one of the doors. "This castle's just getting to you."

"Or maybe the truth is," sighed Diant, following behind her lifelessly.

* * *

"This looks like the last room," said Anya, looking up at the towering doors at the end of the hall. 

"The throne room," said Diant, recognizing the place. "Where we fought Adenna… and where Kir fought me."

"Should we go in?" asked Anya dubiously, having noticed how much more depressed Diant had been since she had barged into the war room.

"Might as well," sighed Diant. "This is an important place; we probably should have come here first. This is definitely where he'll be."

"You're sure it's Ansem we'll see here?" she said curiously.

"I suppose it could be Sorceress Adenna, but…" Diant shrugged. "Let's just get this over with."

Stepping up to the doors, he pushed them open, the ancient hinges groaning in protest. Beyond, they revealed a sunken room with tiered steps around the edge, all centering on a raised dais in the center with a throne upon it. However, against all expectation, no one was sitting upon it.

"Where is he?" asked Diant in confusion, sure that Ansem, the Ansem from his memories, would be there to confront him.

"Elsewhere," came the abrupt reply. Out of the shadows from behind the throne stepped a female figure in a black cloak.

"Kyara," hissed Diant, aura blades appearing in hand. "Why are you here?"

"To destroy your light," said the tattooed woman shortly. "Incite your darkness."

"More pointless fighting," he said with a snort. "Just get out of my way so I can deal with Ansem and leave this rotten castle."

"Denied," stated Kyara bluntly, before drawing her steel kunai and walking to the bottom of the stairs leading down to the dais.

"Have it your way, then!" shouted Diant, launching himself down the stairs towards her, aura blades extended. Kyara dodged back from his initial strike as his blades came crashing down against the floor, but before she could counter, Diant unleashed the ball of deathly blue flames he'd been charging. "Dark Firaga!"

Unable to dodge at such close range, Kyara simply disappeared as the fireball struck, vanishing in a swirl of darkness while the projectile continued on towards the back of the throne room, exploding with a thunderous crash. She reappeared behind Diant, already striking with her kunai, but the boy had predicted this response and managed to block in time. While each struggled with their weapons against the other, Anya joined the fray, Shadow Lance extended as she leapt through the air towards Kyara's unprotected back.

The cloaked assassin dodged to the side, rolling out of the way as Anya came down, but Diant followed. He lashed out at her with both aura blades, clashing against her kunai as she deflected the blows. Taking this chance, Kyara dodged back again as Anya swung at her with the Shadow Lance, a cutting wave of darkness slicing through the air right above her.

"Obnoxious," noted Kyara as she unleashed twin arcs of darkness from her blades. As Diant and Anya blocked the attacks, she closed the distance and struck out at Anya. She landed a few solid blows before Daxtin attacked, lunging at her. She dropped to the floor, attacking both teenagers with a sweeping kick, knocking their feet out from under them. Even as they fell, she lashed out with quick slashes of her blades, sending them flying in opposite directions; Anya crashing into the dais upon which the throne sat, and Diant slamming into the tiered floor that extended up to the far wall. Choosing her target, Kyara quickly shot off after Anya, covering the distance in several long strides before leaping the final few feet, kunai at the ready as her cloak billowed out behind her.

"Hey, your fight's with me!" shouted Diant, throwing Divider at her back. Taken by surprise by his quick recovery, Kyara was knocked off course by the black blade and flew right over Anya, hitting the ground hard and rolling across the floor before spinning lithely to her feet. She glared at him for only a moment before disappearing in a blur of shadows.

She appeared immediately before him, close in and almost under his guard. As she lashed out at his face, Diant dropped down quickly, leaning back and unbalancing himself as he kicked at her. His foot caught her in the shoulder, knocking her sprawling even as he fell to the floor himself. Before either of them could get up, Anya came plunging down from above, slamming the point of her Shadow Lance into Kyara's upper arm, pinning her to the ground.

"Ready to give up?" asked Diant, walking over.

"New plan," hissed the assassin, sinking into the floor and the rapidly forming darkness that was pooling about her. "My way."

"Hey, get back here!" shouted the boy, lunging for her, but in vain. His blade merely bounced of the floor where she had been, and then everything went black.

* * *

Kyara carefully circled the pair within the darkness she had engulfed the room in. She couldn't so much see her targets as she could _feel_ them. The darkness that filled the area was a part of her, an extension of her essence. She had perfect perception of the situation, while her victims had a complete loss of senses.

She watched as Diant and Anya looked about blindly, unable to track her by sight. Settling on the boy, she lunged towards him, lashing out with both kunai. She watched as he reacted quickly, but a fraction of a second too late; by the time he heard her coming, she was already cutting into him. He managed to minimize the damage and counterattack, but by then, she had already danced away from him and out of reach.

Easily evading the girl, she continued to lash out at Diant, meeting skilled, but in the end, futile resistance from him. It was almost too easy.

In this world of shadows, the Hidden Assassin reigned supreme.

* * *

Diant gritted his teeth in pain at the cuts he'd just received, trying to track his assailant but finding it impossible in the thick, cloying darkness that engulfed him. He couldn't even sense where Anya, who was making no attempts at stealth, was, much less track down a master assassin in her element. His ability to sense darkness was moot since the entire room was filled with darkness; it was like trying to track a drop of water in an ocean. All he had to go by was the slightest of sounds when she leapt towards him or her blades came whistling through the air.

"Diant, where are you?" came Anya's voice, drifting disembodied in the dark.

"Anya, just be quiet," he replied, his voice easily carrying in the near-silence. "Let me handle this."

He said it confidently, but inside, his mind was racing to figure out a way to fight against someone he couldn't even see.

* * *

This was proving far too tiresome. At most, she was inflicting painful, but ultimately shallow cuts upon the boy. He was wild and undisciplined, but his fighting skills and instincts were top notch. The girl, however, was a different matter. Though she should be in her element in the dark, her lack of confidence undermined any power she might gain from this environment. Kyara decided to change targets then, hoping to provoke Diant into doing something rash. Yes, the girl. He seemed to be concerned for her. If she could just make her cry out, she was sure the results would be immediate.

* * *

Diant shivered as he felt something rush by him in the darkness, too fast for him to react. However, any relief gained from a lack of attacks against himself immediately disappeared when he heard the distinct sound of steel sinking into flesh, followed by Anya's piercing scream of pain.

"Anya!" he yelled, trying to figure out where she was. If only the sounds didn't echo so much in the empty throne room.

"Diant, help!" she cried out before there was another clash of weapons and wet piercing noise along with another cry of agony. Then the entire room shook, a wave of darkness washing over him in a single blast. And then, silence.

"Anya?" he called. There was no reply. "Anya, are you all right?"

Still no answer.

"Revenge," hissed a voice right next to his ear.

Giving a yell, Diant spun about and lashed out with his blades, catching nothing but air as he swung blindly.

"No!" he yelled angrily. "It's me you want, right? Leave her out of this!"

"Too late," came Kyara's curt reply. "She's dead."

Diant froze in shock. It couldn't be true. It couldn't possibly be true.

"It's true."

The world suddenly flashed red before Diant's eyes as sudden, burning rage filled him. He wouldn't stand for this.

Diant had long since accepted that his lot in life was likely a slow and treacherous descent into darkness, with perhaps some hope of redemption. He was more or less resigned to meeting some shadowy end. But he couldn't stand the idea of such a thing being inflicting on someone else. Especially when he knew it was meant for him.

"Kyara! I'll kill you!" he yelled. He opened his heart in anger, and the darkness inside poured out. And then it all became clear.

* * *

As predicted, dealing with the girl had greatly angered Diant. Not to mention a certain personal satisfaction in finally tying up the loose ends of her vendetta against Emeline, or at least her Heartless. Hunting down the paper witch could come later.

Kyara watched as the boy yelled meaninglessly into the darkness. Pathetic. Shaking her head, Kyara started walking towards him, approaching from behind on silent feet. It was then that it happened.

He turned his head and looked straight at her.

This was no chance guess. He was looking straight into her eyes, a burning hatred smoldering in them. Could he really see her?

"Impossible," said the Hidden Assassin, suddenly exposed.

* * *

He could see everything.

The darkness was still there, but it was no longer a hindrance. He could make out every detail of the room, see everything around him, almost without even looking. He knew the exact location of everyone and every thing in the area. More than just the outwards appearance though, he could see their hearts. He spotted Kyara immediately, his gaze causing her to halt in her tracks. Her heartbeat jumped erratically as he caught her stare, before settling into a quick thumping tattoo.

Suddenly remembering what provoked this new power, Diant turned his attention to Anya. He quickly located her only a few feet from his own position. She was lying on the ground, bloody and cut… but still alive. Her heart was still beating, though faintly. Good. With that off his mind, he could concentrate on the real problem.

"Kyara," he hissed, walking towards her. The Heartless woman backed away from him cautiously, raising her blades before her. Before she could escape though, he surged forwards, not simply moving through the darkness, but _with_ the darkness, his hand slamming into her as he reached out and grabbed her by the throat.

"How?" she asked simply, struggling in his grasp.

"Thanks to that bastard, Pride," said Diant. He could feel her power draining. Draining, and becoming his. "And now, your darkness is mine."

"And your darkness is his," replied Kyara, ceasing her struggles and staring down at him as he held her aloft.

"Shut up!" said Diant, his hand exploding in a sudden blast of darkness. As he did, the darkness filling the room disappeared, surging back into Kyara before she exploded in a burst of shadows and fleeting darkness. He stood there for a moment, his arm extended and hand empty. Then he sighed, and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he could no longer see into the shadows that enveloped much of the room. And he could no longer see Anya's heart beating.

He quickly ran over to where she was. Kneeling beside her, he lifted her head a little and checked her pulse. It was steady, though a little weak. She was still breathing. Even as he sighed in relief, her eyes fluttered momentarily before opening.

"Diant," she said with a small smile, blushing slightly.

"You all right?" he asked, helping her sit up.

"Yeah, I think so," she said, attempting to get to her feet. However, she stumbled, and would have fallen if Diant hadn't caught her.

"Hey, watch it," he cautioned. "You're hurt pretty bad."

"Sorry," she apologized.

"Hey, it's kind of my fault," he said helping her stand. He sighed, and added, "You having to suffer for my sins. I really can't do anything right."

"Diant…" she said softly, unable to find the words to comfort him.

"Whatever, let's get going," he said, heading for the stairs.

"Wait," said Anya from behind him. "Diant, look!"

"Why? What?" he asked, turning about to see what she was making a fuss over. However, as soon as he saw what it was, Diant found himself frozen in place by the scene.

At first they were only flickering outlines, but quickly they solidified into clear images. There were two: one sitting on the previously vacant throne, and another lying lifelessly on the floor before the first. The former was none other than Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness, wearing the same black coat, staring out with lightning blue eyes from between the curtains of his long blonde hair. And on the floor was…

"Kairi," said Diant in shock.

"Kairi!" shouted another voice. Both Diant and Anya turned immediately towards the source of the outcry. As they watched, a boy with messy brown hair and a keyblade came running down the stairs towards the dais.

"Kir," said Diant, watched the boy run towards him. The younger boy didn't seem to see him, and before Diant could get out of the way, the keyblade master ran through him. Diant stumbled back in surprise, turning around to watch Kir continue running as if nothing had happened, only stopping before the throne and the red haired girl lying before it.

"Is this… the image of a memory?" asked Anya. Diant gave no answer, his attention completely on the scene playing out before him.

Kir looked from the girl on the floor to the man on the throne, anger flaring in his eyes as his grip on the Kingdom Key tightened.

"Ansem! What did you do to her?" he demanded.

"Absolutely nothing," replied Ansem smoothly, not even bothering to rise from where he sat. "She was like this when I found her. Pale, cold, lifeless… useless."

"What?" said Kir angrily.

"She doesn't have a heart," he said simply. "It's gone. And what use is a Princess of Heart without a heart? But it must be out there somewhere. That's why I've kept her like this, untouched." He rose then, getting to his feet easily. "But a heart can't simply float around on its own. The darkness would consume it, even the that of a Princess of Heart. So it must be somewhere, with someone she cares about, left in their protection. And I know just the place." In one swift movement, Ansem stepped over Kairi's comatose body and drew his silver rapier, bringing it to bear on Kir. He glared down the blade at the boy, the intensity of his gaze nearly unbearable. "Give it to me."

"What are you talking about?" asked the boy, stepping back a little and bringing his keyblade up before him defensively.

"You have her heart," he explained coldly. "When the Sorceress Adenna banished her into the darkness, the princess must have left her heart in your care, the care of the Keyblade Master. But I need that heart. I've already gathered the other six Princesses of Heart." He indicated the six glass tubes that lined the room, each with a floating woman inside. "With this last one, I can finally open the way to Kingdom Hearts." He stepped towards the boy again. "So now, boy, her heart. Give it to me."

"Never!" shouted Kir, lunging at him. He lashed out with the keyblade, knocking Ansem's rapier to the side. The dark prince dodged to the side, moving out of the boy's immediate range and circling him. Kir watched cautiously before leaping at him.

The two clashed, their weapons smashing against each other. Kir's strikes were more powerful, but Ansem's superior agility with the thin rapier easily deflected the straight-forwards strikes of the keyblade.

"Is that all you have, Hero of the Keyblade?" mocked Ansem, striking a glancing cut on the boy's cheek.

"Not yet! Fire!" shouted Kir, unleashing a fireball from the end of his keyblade, catching the man in the stomach and sending him flying back. Ansem managed to land on his feet, skidding to a halt a few yards away.

"Too weak," said the Seeker of Darkness, lifting his blade elegantly. "Take this: Dark Blade!"

In a single slash, he unleashed a rolling wave of darkness. The cutting arc of black sliced through the air, slamming into the young wielder of the keyblade and knocking him off his feet. Kir hit the floor hard, and before he could get up, Ansem was there, sword to his throat.

"And now, her heart," he said, gazing down intently as his sword slipped down to the boy's chest. Then suddenly, he froze, his eyes riveted on the spot. Slowly, his thin-lipped smile of victory twisted into a grimacing frown. "It's not there."

"What?" Kir managed to gasp out, trying not to breath to hard in the face of the blade mere fractions of an inch from his chest.

"Her heart's not here," said Ansem. "Where is it, hero? What did you do with it?"

"I don't know!" shouted Kir in frustration. "I didn't even know I had it!"

"Then you're of no further use to me," said the prince coldly, bringing his blade back for the finishing blow. Dark energy flaring off the rapier, he brought it down to end his life. "Now, die."

"No."

There was a sudden flash of light, then Ansem shattered, like fragments of broken glass, his image giving way to a boy standing defiantly in his place, dark tendrils encasing his body in shadowy armor.

"No!" repeated the boy loudly, this time the darkness wrapped around him dispersing in a black mist, revealing his normal clothes.

"Diant," said Kir in a shocked voice. "You're…"

"I'm Ansem's vessel," he said quietly. "I can only hold him off for a moment, so listen carefully. I know where Kairi's heart is."

"What?" gasped Kir, scrambling to his feet. "You do?"

"Yes. It's hidden in the darkest darkness," said the older boy solemnly, bringing a hand to his chest. "She didn't leave her heart with you. She left it with me."

"But why didn't Ansem notice, if he took over your body?" asked Kir.

"He couldn't see her heart when it was hidden so deep," said Diant ruefully. "My darkness was greater than her light."

"Okay, but what do we do? How do we get her heart back to her?" said Kir, glancing over at Kairi's still form.

"I know one way," said Diant, his black aura blade appearing in hand. He took it up in both hands, then raised it before him, pointed at himself. "Divider!"

"Diant!" cried Kir, leaping forwards, too late to stop him.

"Diant!" shouted Anya, taken by such surprise that she forgot that it was only a memory. Diant himself watched his memory-self silently.

"This is the least I can do," said the illusion, before plunging the black blade into his chest. There was a flash of light, and then two gleaming lights burst forth from his body. One of them drifted across the room, finally hovering above Kairi's still form. Kir watched transfixed as the glowing spark floated down to her, then disappeared into her chest.

"Kairi!" he shouted, quickly running over to her side. He knelt beside her, staring worriedly down. But as he watched, her chest rose and fell, and then her eyes flickered briefly before opening.

"Kir…?" she asked sleepily, blinking up at him.

"You're all right!" he said gladly, helping her to sit up.

"Did you… save me?" she asked, looking about fuzzily.

"No, Diant did," said Kir. "He's…"

But as they looked at where he had been, there was no sign. While they hadn't been looking, his body had faded away. Where he had once been was a fragile, glowing spark of light. And as they watched, even this was wrapped in shadows before disappearing.

"He's faded into the darkness," came Ansem's voice, echoing about the room. "And now, with the seven Princesses of Heart, I can finally open the way. The way to Kingdom Hearts!"

Kir jumped to his feet, keyblade drawn, yelling, but Diant and Anya never heard what he said, because no sound came forth. The entire image was fading, and in moments, the memory was gone. Once more, the throne room was empty and cold.

"That was… your memory?" asked Anya hesitantly, turning to Diant.

"Yeah," he said, turning away and heading back up the stairs. "Just ghosts from the past. Proof of my sins."

"No, it's not!" she protested, causing him to stop, but not turn about to face her. "I think it's proof of the good you've done. If not for you, Ansem would have had Kairi's heart. If she had given her heart to Kir, she would have been captured by him. And in the end, you gave yourself up for her sake…"

"Throwing away a worthless life isn't that much of a sacrifice," he said darkly, starting back up the stairs. "It's just chance that the darkness Ansem gave me backfired on him that way."

"Because it wasn't his darkness," said Anya quietly. "It was your own."

"Yeah," he said after a short pause. "Yeah, you're right. I can't blame this all on Ansem. These sins are my own."

"That's not what I meant!" protested Anya, horrified that he had heard her words that way.

"Whatever," he said with a despairing sigh. "Let's just get going."

Without another word, he walked off. After a moment, Anya slowly followed after, limping slightly and wincing from her injuries. If she couldn't steer him off this path of self-destruction, at least she could be there with him. Whatever good that might do.

* * *

_Bure Bure: Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is an excellent series. I'm sure I've said that, but I say it again. I love the opening and ending themes. The ending theme, Zessei Bijin (Peerless Beauty? Something like that) is an excellent swing/jazz/something or other tune with wonderfully suicidal lyrics. The opening, Hito Toshite Jiku Ga Bureteiru (Damn Twisted Person) is just plain awesome. Bure Bure, Bure Bure._

_I'm pretty happy with this chapter. Got in some long talks, along with some okay fights. More importantly, did some more in depth glances into what Kir/Kairi/Diant's adventure was like, the story that happens before MoN. I won't ever be writing that story, because it'd be basically a KH1 parallel, and I don't like Kir enough to write with him as the main character. And anyway, The Forgotten Castle is all memory-based, mostly on Diant's memories, so it pretty much covers the story anyway, with Daxtin's side repeating the world-to-world events, while Diant's side covers some of the more over-arcing things._

_Next Chapter: The final Chapter in Daxtin's story. The Nobody with a Heart, the Queen of Thorns, and the Doll Master. The tale of lies and memories comes to a close._


	21. Memories

Chapter 20: Memories

* * *

"I said we'll be okay, but will we really?" wondered Daxtin aloud as they came to the top of the stairs. "Even if I remember her face, I can't remember her name. Who did I give my necklace to? Who did I write that note to? If I can't even remember that, will I really be able to beat Lust? Can Naminé really reverse this?" 

"You doubt her already?" said Rann. "Anyway, if you can't remember a name, just remember her face. As long as you keep the goal in sight, you don't need your memory for anything else."

"Easy for you to say," grumbled the boy. "You remember Meili."

"And I've forgotten everything else," the warrior pointed out. "Radiant Garden, and those I've left behind… but I only need this one memory to drive me on. You should too."

Daxtin gave him a doubting look.

"Besides, it's just for the short term," said Rann. "After we finish this, Naminé will fix our memories. I know she'll give it her all; I saw it in her eyes. That's why I spared her." He started off down the hallway, calling back over his shoulder, "Anyway, aren't you the one who's supposed to have faith in her? Even if they are fake memories, after everything you said back there, you could show a little more belief in her abilities."

"I guess you're right," said Daxtin with a small laugh. "I just have to keep my eyes to the front, always stepping forwards. Even without my memories, if I can just keep putting one foot in front of the other, I'll make it. And then we can fix everything."

"That's the spirit," said Rann dryly as the boy caught up with him. "Now let's get this over with already."

* * *

Naminé stared forlornly at the way leading up to the 13th floor. Having just met him, she was loathe to see Daxtin leave again so soon, but she knew what Rann said was right; it would be too dangerous for her up there on the 13th floor. 

She sighed and consoled herself that it would only be a short time before he came back for her anyway; there was no doubt in her mind that he would succeed. He _had_ to succeed. Besides, she had made this mess to begin with. If there was any justice in the world, she'd remain alone forever; enduring this short wait to be with Daxtin again was nothing.

And so it was, so preoccupied with her thoughts, that Naminé did not hear the sound of the two black spikes and their joining arc piercing smoothly into the stone floor behind her, nor the portal that opened in the resulting archway. And most of all, Naminé did not hear the ghostly, satin rustle of the black dress as she was approached from behind. It was not until the black gloved hands settled on her shoulders did she notice anything was wrong, and by then, it was too late.

* * *

"What are these things?" asked Daxtin, striking down another of the amorphous white foes that had assaulted them in the hallways of Castle Oblivion. As he struck, the creature's body flew back in the air, its limbs stretching and distorting before following its body afterwards. "They don't seem like Heartless…" 

"Aren't they Nobodies?" said Rann tonelessly, cutting through one of the dusks almost absently as he walked along.

"What? I thought that _I_ was a Nobody," said Daxtin, dodging an attack before crushing his attacker. "These things don't look like people."

"Only people strong of will leave Nobodies," explained Rann. "And only those of even stronger will retain human form. Did the castle really make you forget this?"

"I guess," said Daxtin, straining to remember, but finally giving up and just taking the warrior's word for it. "I mean, we've just been fighting Heartless in most of those memories."

"Because that's all that Diant must have fought in those memories," guessed Rann. "Anyway, we don't know if this Lust is a Heartless or a Nobody, or maybe neither, so her powers could be anything."

"Maybe we should've asked Naminé what sort of powers Lust had," said Daxtin, finally taking out the last Nobody. "Too bad we forgot."

"…whatever," said Rann, walking off down the corridor without waiting.

* * *

"You're a fool to come here," said Lust venomously. 

"Really, is that any way to greet your most loyal servant?" asked Luciella, a hint of amusement in her voice as she closed the door behind her, dragging her stuffed rabbit by one leg as she approached her mistress.

"Loyal? Don't make me laugh!" hissed the dark woman angrily, spinning about to face the traitor.

"Well, seeing as you have no other servants, I'm your most loyal servant by default," pointed out the elegant Goth with a little smile.

"Did you come here for any reason other than to play games of sophistry?" asked Lust in an annoyed tone. "Or are you simply awaiting my retribution upon a worthless creation?"

"Oh, I'm here for a very specific reason," said Luciella calmly. "I'm here to destroy you."

"Are you now?" said Lust, a pitying look on her face. "You've truly become delusional. You were a fool to think you could ruin my plans without repercussions, but simply because you've made it this far, you think you can actually challenge one of the Seven?"

"Which brings me to my other purpose," interrupted the girl. "Before I destroy you, I want information on the other Seven. So far, I only know you and Pride. Also, everything you know about your master."

"And what makes you think I'll ever tell you such a thing, traitor?" sneered Lust angrily.

"Oh, you will," Luciella assured her. "That, I can promise."

The two stared at each other, darkness gathering about each figure. Then it solidified into their chosen weapons, and the dance began.

* * *

"Just how big is this? I don't remember any of the other floors being this big," said Daxtin, stopping to catch his breath. They had just fought yet another group of Heartless, which had been followed up with a smattering of dusks. 

"Well, who knows how big those memory rooms were," supposed Rann, sweating a little but still breathing normally. "After all, they contained an entire world, right?"

"But that was an illusion," said Daxtin. "It couldn't be that huge."

"It might still be fairly large," said Rann with a shrug.

"Doesn't matter, let's just get going," said Daxtin, running off down the hall.

"Are you sure you're ready to keep going?" asked Rann dubiously, starting off after the boy.

"Of course I am!" shouted Daxtin over his shoulder, slowing a little to let his companion catch up. "Besides, don't you want your memories back?"

"Yeah," said Rann, "but it won't do any good to get to where Lust is and be exhausted. Let's take it a little slower."

"No way!" said Daxtin, sprinting ahead and turning a corner. Soon, his voice came back down the hall. "Come on, I think I can see the end! Let's hurry!"

"Well, at least he's not backing down," sighed Rann before hurrying off after him.

* * *

Huge, black spikes, with cross-pieces like sinister crucifixes rained down from above, slamming into the white stone floor, shattering tiles in a network of cracks. Luciella nimbly evaded the thorns, barely more than a dark blur among the forest of deadly spikes quickly growing around her. As the fall of thorns stopped, she twirled about once, dark threads flying from her fingers. Then, in an instant, she pulled them taut, the many black spikes filling the hall flying apart as they were sliced cleanly through, their pieces disintegrating into dark mist before fading entirely. 

Now on the offensive, Luciella sped down the hallway to where Lust had positioned herself at the end. Throwing out her arms, she sent the many strands of her threads flying towards her mistress. Lust merely waved a hand, more dark spikes with randomly proportioned cross-pieces appearing before her in midair. At her motion, the black spars spun through the air towards the incoming threads, slicing through them or being sliced through. As the surviving threads came towards her, she gave a wave of her hand, a corrosive cloud of darkness flying from her fingertips and into the tangle, instantly destroying it.

Despite this setback, Luciella was already preparing her next attack. With a wave of her hands, several pools of darkness opened up on the floor around her. Rapidly, several black figures shot up out of the circles, these beings of shadow taking the silhouettes of Daxtin, Diant and other inhabitants of the castle. At her command, they all sprung forwards towards Lust. Rather than waiting for them to come to her, the Queen of Thorns glided forwards with deceiving speed, immediately in the midst of the many dark figurines. Raising her arms above her head elegantly, she snapped her fingers.

Immediately, her signature dark thorns rained down with such speed that they seemed to sprout from her many assailants. Multiple black spars impaled the shadowy replicas, annihilating them in a flash. However, even as she did so, nearly invisible threads cut through the thorny spikes, immediately encircling Lust and quickly closing. As the snare tightened, the dark mistress raised a hand before her, summoning her trump card.

"What kind of trick is this?" asked Luciella, her voice part annoyed, part amused.

"If you want to kill me now," said Lust, "you'll have to destroy Naminé also."

Bound close to her captor, Naminé trembled in fear as the dark threads drew taught around her, some strands already cutting through her Capri's and loose jacket and digging into her flesh. The strands were already tightened around both her and Lust; it would be impossible to cut through one and not the other, and the snare would have to be entirely redone to only catch Lust, which would only give her a chance to retaliate.

"Fine then," said Luciella coldly. "Do you really think hiding behind that girl will stop me? I'll eliminate both of you."

"Do you hear that, Daxtin?" called Lust. "She's willing to kill Naminé just to get to me."

"Oh?" murmured Luciella, looking over her shoulder. Behind her, standing in the now-open doorway was Daxtin and Rann, each with weapons drawn. Before she could even say anything else, Daxtin lunged at her, Joiner and Divider swinging. She dodged out of the way, but in doing so, lost concentration on Lust and in an instant, the Queen of Thorns and her hostage both disappeared.

Luciella made a small noise of exasperation as she watched her quarry disappear, before turning her attention back to the boy sizing her up.

"So, did what I tell you do nothing?" asked Luciella in mild disappointment. "Have you really become her puppet after all?"

"Of course not!" said Daxtin angrily. "After you, Lust is next!"

"Well, then everything's according to plan," said Luciella with a little smile. "So, I'll just be leaving now…"

"Like hell!" said Daxtin, lunging at her again. She dodged back nimbly.

"Is that anyway to thank me?" murmured Luciella mildly.

"Thank you? For what?" asked the boy suspiciously.

"Well, for one thing, letting you see Diant again," she listed off calmly.

"That's right!" he remembered. "You said _your_ Diant before! What did you mean by that?"

"Simply, that the Diant you met was my puppet," explained Luciella. "Crafted and shaped exactly as I wanted, to serve my precise intents and purposes."

"So you're why he was acting all weird!" he shouted. "I'm not going to thank you for that!"

"Have it your way," said Luciella, dark threads flowing from her fingertips. As she did, Daxtin charged towards her, aura blades swinging. With a few deft movements of her hands, she quickly had his weapons ensnared in her web of shadows.

"Divider!" yelled Daxtin, pulling his blades away. There was a flash of light, but when it cleared, his weapons were still trapped in the dark threads that bound them. "What?"

"I've analyzed that power of yours," explained Luciella clinically. "The same trick won't work against me twice."

"Well, how about plain old steel?" roared Rann, leaping in and tearing apart the strings binding Daxtin's blades with his gunblade. They severed easily, parting before him like ephemeral mist. Luciella dodged back as the pair charged her position, her dark strings trailing behind her, a veil of ebony silk. With a flick of her wrists, she sent the threads at the pair again, this time trying to bind their arms, but before she could tighten her hold on them, the two cut each other free and attacked again. Disappearing in a swirl of darkness, Luciella reappeared a distance down the hall behind them.

"I suppose it was naïve to expect the same trick to catch you either," murmured the girl, almost admiringly. "Fine then, we can settle for speed."

As the pair turned on her again, she once again sent her threads tumbling through the air towards them. This time, however, instead of settling about them in slowly tightening loops, the thin threads sliced through the air like invisible blades, lashing across their cheeks and arms like so many tiny whips, opening long, thin, bloody cuts on their skin. However, this storm of infinitesimal slices did not deter the two and they charged on through it.

"Persistent," noted Luciella, dropping the threads from her fingers, gathering new darkness to her hands. Holding them out before her, dark pools opened in the floor, and soon black figures stood up from out of them. In seconds, Daxtin and Rann now found themselves faced unmistakable with silhouette versions of themselves.

"That won't stop us!" shouted Daxtin, charging forwards towards his dark doppelganger. However, before he could get there, the shadowy replica of Rann cut in, lashing out and sending him flying with his dark gunblade. Taken off guard, Daxtin hit the wall hard, sliding down it and crumpling to the floor.

"There's one ingrate dealt with," murmured Luciella. She turned then to Rann, her twin puppets positioning themselves between her and the scarred warrior. "As for you, I expect you recognize all I've done for you. Will you not show appreciation?"

"Oh, I can see what you've done for us," said Rann. "But that also means I can see the threat you represent to us, even if not directly. You're dangerous."

"Well said," she congratulated him, perhaps mockingly, perhaps not. "In that case, prepare yourself."

At her motion, multiple pools of darkness opened along the span of floor between them, each bringing forth yet another dark puppet. Some, Rann recognized, others were silhouettes that seemed vaguely familiar, but soon there were too many for him to waste time trying to identify each replica by shape. Rather than waiting to be mobbed by the artificial brigade, he charged into their midst, gunblade swinging.

He cut into the first of the dark replicas, slicing it neatly in half before it could raise its weapon. Dodging to the side, he evaded a slicing cut from a dark lance, taking out another figure to his right before retaliating against his attacker with a blast of fire. He winced in pain as a shadowy fist slammed into his side, not letting it break his stride, but instead rolling with the blow and sending a sweeping kick into another figure approaching him before turning on his assailant with gunblade already swinging. Jumping back to reduce the impact from a blast of dark magic, he sent his own fireball flying back without even worrying about which figure had launched it; already he was under assault by more immediate threats. Blocking a blow from a pair of black aura blades, he made no hesitation in cutting down a shadowy replica of his companion. One by one, blow by blow, Rann cut through the copies, constantly in motion, ignoring all injuries. In a decisive over head strike, he cleaved a struggling dark mage in half before it could rise, and then there was only one. Turning on it, he quickly strode over to the black figure that was struggling to rise, blade raised to cut it down.

"Don't kill me," said the figure, turning suddenly. Rather than the empty black face, it looked up at him with that of the one person he cared for most.

"Meili," he gasped, momentarily surprised. As the shock wore off, though, he immediately realized his mistake, but by then it was too late. He had hesitated.

He doubled over in pain, coughing blood as the replica's hand, now transformed into a long, sinister blade, stabbed into his gut, its end exploding from his back in crimson and black.

"And so it ends," said Luciella coldly, twitching one finger and causing the replica to withdraw its arm from him, letting the scarred warrior fall limply to the ground.

"Not yet!"

Daxtin stood, hovering slightly off the ground, eyes burning with rage, aura blades floating at his sides, supported by will alone. Shooting forwards with unnatural speed, he swung his arms out at her, Joiner and Divider flying forwards in a spinning whirlwind of destruction. The two aura blades cut through the final dark clone in an explosion of darkness, not even slowing as they continued on to Luciella. The two blades, spinning in blurred disks of black and white, slammed into the surprised Luciella, battering her harshly as Daxtin shot forwards, his sleeveless white coat billowing out behind him like ominous wings.

"Dance of the Bleeding Clouds!" he shouted, raising one hand above his head as he hovered before her. His aura blades returned to him, this time going vertical as they shot up and down in a piston-like motion, each jerking blast giving off an explosion of power as they went faster and faster, until Daxtin was the center of an exploding ring of energy. Spinning once in place, he then shot forwards, slamming into the dark girl as his aura blades followed. "Dance of the Broken Sky!"

Daxtin and his blades became mere blurs of light as they shot back and forth with increasing speed, each time slamming into Luciella with sharp bursts of power the shone with blue-green fire. Finally coming to a halt in the eye of the storm of whirling blades, he threw his arms apart in an explosion of rage, determination and power.

"Final Dance of the Hurricane!"

The air exploded out from in him in a spiraling whirl of energy and aura. The entire castle shook with the impact. As the blast struck Luciella, though, she only smiled.

"Interesting," she murmured even as she was blown away.

And then it was over. The air calmed again, and Daxtin settled to his feet. A few feet from him, Luciella stood, but just barely. Her clothes were torn, and she trembled, as if just remaining on her feet was taking all the effort she had.

"Not bad, boy," she managed to gasp out. "It'll be interesting to see how you grow. But that'll have to wait for another time. You've got other things to do, as do I." She brought her face up, her eyes meeting his. "See you on the other side."

And then, in a final swirl of darkness, she disappeared.

Daxtin could only stand there in silence, breathing hard as he stared at the spot where she had just been. Had he really defeated her? What did she mean by "the other side"? However, he suddenly remembered the cause for his fury when he heard a low groan; breaking from his thoughts, he hurried over to his fallen comrade.

"Rann!" he shouted, kneeling by the warrior's side. "Rann, are you all right?"

"Do I look all right?" groaned the scarred gunbladier dryly. "I've got a hole in my gut." He laughed a little then, and, despite his companion's protests, struggled up into a sitting position. "But I think I'll live. It's not as bad as it looks." He looked down and clinically examined the wound, poking at it with a probing finger, ignoring Daxtin's sympathetic winces. "I already cauterized it and applied some potions while you were busy yelling and throwing things around at that little know-it-all. It'll take more than this to keep me from Meili, but…"

"You can't fight any more, can you?" finished Daxtin for him as he helped the man up.

"Yeah, not right now," he admitted. "You're going to have to defeat Lust and rescue Naminé on your own." He smiled then, a little grimly. "But I suppose that's the real hero's job, huh?"

"I'm just a Nobody fighting for a girl I don't even know," said Daxtin sadly.

"That doesn't mean you can't be a hero," said Rann. "You said it yourself: even if your memories are fake, Naminé's real, and so is what you feel right now." He coughed then, a little blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. "Now, go get 'em. I'll catch up later."

"Make sure you do," said Daxtin, taking a few steps towards the doors inwards.

"It's a promise," said Rann with a smile that bordered on a grimace.

"I'm holding you to that!" shouted the boy as he ran on through the doors, letting them swing slowly closed behind him.

"…whatever," said Rann, collapsing to the ground and letting himself slip into comfortable unconsciousness.

* * *

"So, you destroyed the traitorous doll," said Lust as Daxtin finally came to the end of the hallway where she awaited with Naminé at her side. "I suppose that this is the power of the Nobody with a Heart." 

"Let Naminé go!" he shouted, brandishing his aura blades at the dark woman threateningly.

"Even if you are strong," she continued, ignoring his demands, "your struggles are meaningless; you cannot win." She laid a gloved hand on Naminé's shoulder, the spikes set around her wrist brushing against the girl's cheek. "Naminé, erase Daxtin's memories."

"But, if I do that..!" she gasped.

"Yes," said Lust with a sinister smile, her eyes flicking back over to the boy standing before her. "His heart will collapse. But it doesn't matter; even a broken heart can be repaired in time. Now, do it, Naminé."

"No."

"What?" she said, turning suddenly to the young girl. She found the young artist staring up at her with defiant eyes.

"I won't do it," said Naminé firmly. "After everything I did to him, Daxtin forgave me. I don't care what you do to me anymore; I won't hurt him."

"Then you can be forever alone in oblivion," hissed Lust, dark energies gathering about her hand. "Now, obey me or die."

"I won't!" she said defiantly.

"Naminé, do it!" shouted Daxtin, causing her to jump in surprise.

"Daxtin…" she said, shocked by his command.

"Just do it! It doesn't matter if I don't have my memories," he said. "I'll still have our promise! I'll protect you even without them!"

"You're a fool, Nobody," said Lust. "If she erases your memories, you'll be nothing but a lifeless shell, a husk without a heart."

"Then I should be used to that, being a Nobody," he replied back.

"You'll be less than a Nobody," warned Lust scathingly. "You'll be a broken castoff, like that fake Diant."

"Fake?" asked Daxtin, confused.

"In every sense," she replied. "Nothing but a worthless mannequin."

"Is that so?"

There was a sudden warping of the air, and then a portal of darkness opened before them. Diant, cloaked in his Dark Form, came hurtling out of it, straight at Lust, aura blades swinging. The dark mistress leapt back out of the way, surrendering Naminé as Diant lashed out, sending a blast of deathly blue flame soaring at her.

"You..." she hissed angrily, deflecting the fireball with a summoned spike of darkness, the two colliding and disappearing in a flash of darkness.

"Diant…" said Daxtin in a stunned voice.

"No," replied the dark boy before him, "just someone's pet project." He glared over at Lust as Naminé ran past him to Daxtin. "But I still have one thing, even if it is fake: I made a promise. I _will_ protect Naminé!"

"So, yet another stumbling block Luciella left in my way," said Lust in disgust. "As if such pawns could stop me. Your words mean nothing to me!"

"Naminé, get back," warned Daxtin as he and the Diant Replica prepared to face off with Lust. The girl nodded and hurried back a ways down the hall.

"Black Thorns!" incanted Lust, raising one darkly sleeved arm upwards. Shadowy portals opened in the air, filling the hallway. Sinister lengths of black came hurtling out of them, jagged cross-pieces giving them the appearance of dark crucifixes, or broken spokes of a deadly wheel. The giant spars of darkness slammed into the ground around the boys, the two barely managing to evade the impaling thorns.

"Divider!" shouted Daxtin, lashing out with his black aura blade. The forest of deadly needles surrounding them shattered and fell. As he cut the path clear, the replica shot forwards with all of Diant's same reckless abandon.

"Take this!" he shouted, ducking under Lust's clawed strike and delivering a spinning blow with both blades. The dark mistress dodged gracefully to one side, summoning a line of smaller thorns in a curving arc that shot towards the boy at her motion. As she did though, there was a blur of white as Daxtin's thrown aura blade knocked them off course, and before she could ready a second volley, the Diant Replica had already reoriented himself to her evasion and attacked again.

"Meddling fake," hissed Lust, stumbling back from the blow, sending forth a hail of thorns even as she did.

"Don't call me fake!" yelled the replica, crashing through the barrage of dark spikes. "Even if I'm not Diant, I'm still real!"

He lashed out angrily at the dark woman, darkness and blue flames trailing off his blades. Lust dodged back, but as she did, she moved directly into Daxtin's path. The white-coated boy slammed into her with both blades, sending her flying back. Even as she stumbled back, Lust was readying her counterattack; multiple dark portals opening all around her, sinister spikes of black coming forth from them before flying forwards.

The two boys fought furiously against the hail of thorns, their arms a blur as they deflected the deadly spars. And so it was, distracted as they were, that neither one saw Lust as she appeared out of a thorn gateway behind them.

"Submit!" she commanded, a clawed hand slamming into Daxtin, knocking him flat. The Nobody hit the ground hard, and before he could even try to get up, she was standing there above him, a long black thorn suspended above her hand, ready to pierce him through. Then, in one swift moment, she brought it down upon him.

"Daxtin!"

He stared up in surprise at the Diant Replica standing over him, both aura blades holding Lust's thorn at bay.

"Really, how would you protect her without me?" he said with a grin at the Nobody.

"Insolent," spat Lust angrily. "Neither of you can protect her!"

With a flick of her wrist, a barrage of thorns appeared in the air surrounding Naminé.

"Useless things should be disposed of," said the Queen of Thorns coldly. "Now, die."

The dark spars flew forwards towards the girl, exploding in a flash of light. When it subsided, the hall was pierced through with a thicket of black spears, but none of them had struck their mark.

"Don't you dare…" started Daxtin, breathing hard from where he stood protectively before the girl.

"…try to harm Naminé!" finished the Diant Replica, standing beside him.

In synchronized motion, both boys brought their aura blades before them, reversing the grip on one of them before slamming the hilts together, joining them together. Each armed with a double-bladed fusion, they threw their outside arms to the side, the blades spinning quickly, suspended by sheer will from their palms. Both sets of blades quickly became blurring discs engulfed in blue-green flame.

"Double –" shouted Daxtin, charging forwards.

"– Whirlwind –" yelled the replica, running beside him.

"– Raid!" they shouted in unison, unleashing their twin sets of aura blades. The two discs flew through the air, cutting through Lust's hastily erected barrier of thorns and crashing into her. The twin discs mirrored each other as they came around again, slamming into her a second time, launching her into the air. As they did, they split into their four constituent blades, Nobody and replica both appearing in the air before Lust, grabbing a hold of their blades.

"Twin Divide!" they yelled, each cutting across each other in a flash, appearing on the ground behind her. As they did, the Queen of Thorns burst in a cloud of darkness, a dark mist that was quickly blown away by the explosion of power that followed.

"Did we really get her?" asked Diant, standing and looking about.

"You could say that," said a hauntingly familiar voice. Turning, the two found themselves looking at Lust once more, standing before the large double doors at the end of the hallway. "That was a mere image of me, a stand-in. If you truly desire to face me, then come to me in my darkness, beyond these doors."

"Or we can take you right now!" shouted Diant's replica, lunging forwards at her, slicing cleanly through. But as the darkness cleared from his blades, they heard the same voice in mocking laughter. "Just another image…"

"Thank you," said Naminé, walking up beside Daxtin, and then turning to the Diant Replica. "Both of you."

"I was just following my memories," said the replica, flushing slightly. "Even if they aren't true."

"Then can I count on you for one more thing?" asked Daxtin.

"What's that?" asked the other boy.

"Protect Naminé for me while I go in there," he said.

"You want… me to?" said the Diant Replica doubtfully.

"You don't want to?" asked Daxtin with a smile. When the other couldn't answer, he put a hand on his shoulder before turning for the doors. "I'm counting on you."

"Will you be all right by yourself?" asked Naminé in concern. "Shouldn't he go with you?"

"I can't endanger you by taking you with me," said Daxtin, back to her. "But as Lust showed me, it's too dangerous to leave you unprotected. This is the only way. I'll manage… somehow."

"You'll come back, right?" she asked worriedly.

"I already promised you," he said, flashing her a smile over his shoulder. "It's going to be all right."

* * *

"So, you really did come," said Lust. She stood in a realm of darkness and thorns, her unique spars littering the area, all of different length with irregular curving cross-pieces. She stood amidst them, her dark dress and hair making her pale face and shoulders the only white in a sea of varying black. "You're a fool to come alone." 

"Maybe," agreed Daxtin. "But I'll do anything for Naminé."

"You still chain your heart with such false memories; perhaps you aren't as admirable as I thought you were," said Lust. "If you're so weak, then my master really has nothing to fear of you."

"Don't underestimate me," said Daxtin, readying his blades.

"I won't," she replied. "Which is why you will face the full power of the Queen of Thorns, Lust, most illustrious of the Seven."

At the wave of her hand, several of her sinister thorns appeared in the air around her before speeding towards the defiant boy. Daxtin deftly dodged the barrage, weaving between the deadly spars of darkness and knocking them away with his twin blades. Closing the distance between them, he lunged forwards at her.

Lust leapt back, snapping her fingers as she did. On instinct, Daxtin dodged back, barely avoiding a deadly black spear as it slammed into the ground mere inches from his face. He sidestepped around it as another cruel thorn came crashing down, shattering the ground where he had stood but seconds before. Finally around the obstacles, he closed in on Lust again, but his movement backwards had given her time to prepare.

"Not bad," murmured the Queen of Thorns, dark energies gathering about her hands. "But how about this?" Raising her arms, a row of seven dark crucifixes materialized over her head. "Black Thorns, Art of Seven: Sinister Lines!"

She threw her arms out at him, each thorn launching in succession. They sliced through the air towards Daxtin, giving him mere seconds to react.

"This is nothing!" he shouted, knocking away the first of the projectiles along with the second, dodging the third and fourth.

Quick attacks from the aura blades dispatched the rest of the incoming thorns. However, by this time, she had readied yet another barrage of seven spars, and quickly sent them flying at him. He dealt with these in similar fashion, but when he finished, Lust was already launching her next wave.

"I'm not making any progress," said Daxtin to himself as he defended against the third set of thorns. "I've got to do something other than just blocking."

As he jumped out of the way of the last few thorns, he noticed then that the long projectiles never changed course as they flew from Lust's control towards him. With the distance between them, this gave him enough time to see where they were going; in fact, this was how he was dodging and deflecting them.

"In that case…" he said to himself as he watched the fourth barrage come. Leaping forwards, he rolled under the incoming thorns, springing quickly to his feet and dodging ever towards his attacker, avoiding her attacks and simultaneously closing the distance between them. He sprinted forwards, lunging forwards to avoid the fifth line of thorns she sent his way. Just as she raised her hands to ready another, he sprung up before her, aura blades ready to strike her down. "I've beaten your thorns. Give up."

"Oh, have you?" she asked, gazing calmly down at him. An amused smile played across her face. "Then try this," she said smugly, disappearing in a swirl of darkness before he could respond. She reappeared high in the air, her black dress fluttering in an unearthly wind as she raised her hands upwards, glowing dark. "Black Thorns, Art of Forty-Nine: Deadly Skies!"

Immediately the air of dark realm they fought in filled with spars of darkness, seven rows of seven. One at a time, each row came firing down, the seven cruel thorns in each slamming simultaneously into Daxtin's position. The Nobody attempted to block them, but the sheer force of them forced him to dodge out of their way, unable to stand the full force of each barrage. By the time he got out of the way of the first cluster of thorns, the second was already upon him. He leapt out of their way, and then leapt again to avoid the third barrage. Quickly, he was fighting amidst thickets of black thorns, his mobility severely hampered by the many dark spears stuck in the floor around him. Avoiding the fifth cluster, he dodged the left, only to suddenly find himself slamming his side into a group of thorns, their curved cross-pieces tearing at his shoulders and arms.

"Damn it!" he managed to spit out before the sixth cluster came slamming down at him. He leapt forwards, but his coat snagged on one of the thorns he had brushed against, causing him to stumble. That momentary misstep cost him.

Daxtin screamed in pain as the black thorns slammed into him, cutting into his left leg and side as he was too slow to move out of the way. Thus injured, he fell to the ground, struggling to get up as he watched the seventh set of thorns come flying down. His left leg was caught amidst the thorns; he couldn't pull it out in time to escape. He looked up in panic at the bunched up group of thorns, a concentrated attack sure kill him.

"Wait, that's it!" said Daxtin, coming to a sudden realization. "Divider!"

Blue-green light burst forth from the black aura blade, crashing into the falling circle of thorns. The deadly spars split apart immediately, raining down around Daxtin with a cacophonous crash.

"Joiner!" he yelled, swinging the white aura blade around. A bright light shot from the tip of the weapon, striking out at the many black thorns around him. Glowing lines of light shot from every thorn he touched, quickly forming a web of energy that bound the many spars together. Gathering them all together, he stared defiantly up at Lust. "I think you dropped these. Let me return them to you!"

Swinging the white blade upwards with one mighty heave, he sent the black thorns all firing upwards at their mistress, simultaneously freeing Daxtin and exacting revenge.

Lust disappeared from before the field of black hurtling towards her, reappearing on the ground. However, as she did, Daxtin came charging at her, lashing out at her with his aura blades before she could summon more thorns.

Aura blades clashed against dark claws, Lust skidding backwards across the cold stone floor as she defended against his strikes.

"Impressive," she murmured, straightening out of her defensive crouch and stretching languidly. "But you barely pulled through that time. Do you really want to continue?"

"I _will_ defeat you," said Daxtin firmly. "For Naminé."

"I can't guarantee your safety anymore then," she warned him. "As much as I'd like to bring you in alive, for the threat you represent, I'm sure my master would be just as happy to have you dead."

"Just try it!" he yelled, charging towards her.

"Of course," she replied calmly, raising her arms, hands ablaze with dark energies. "Black Thorns, Art of Three-Hundred Forty-Three: Cruel Ending!"

* * *

He stumbled onwards, regardless of his wounds. He trailed drops of blood like a trail of breadcrumbs behind him, but he had no real intention of following this path home. His attention was ahead, towards the clashing powers at the end of the hall, beyond those doors. 

"Ah, Diant, look!" said Naminé in surprise, pointing towards him. The boy standing by her side glared at him cautiously, but didn't draw his weapons.

"So it's you," said the boy who wasn't Diant. "You don't look so good."

"Please, stay here, Diant can go in to help him," pleaded Naminé, but he ignored her.

"I have to do this," he said, brushing past the pair of teenagers and up to the doors behind which Daxtin and Lust fought. "For _her_ sake, I'll make that woman pay."

* * *

Daxtin watched in horror as seven fields of seven rows, each of seven thorns, formed in the air above the two of them. At Lust's command, the cloud of long, deadly spears shot towards him. However, this time, instead of coming one at a time, wave upon wave, as he had expected, all of the cruel black implements shot forth at once. 

"No way!" he shouted in shock, only able to watch as the veritable wall of thorns shot down towards him. There was no way he could block this many, and the area they covered was so large that it would be impossible to dodge. There was nothing he could do.

"Lionheart!"

There was a blinding flash of light, so bright that Daxtin was forced to close his eyes. When he opened them, the cloud of dark thorns had been cut in twain, and a figure stood before him.

"Rann!" said Daxtin gladly. "You made it!"

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," said the gunbladier grimly, before charging forwards through the corridor amidst the falling thorns that he had carved. As they rained down to either side of him, he slung burning balls of fire towards Lust, forcing the Queen of Thorns onto the defensive as she slashed the flaming projectiles out of the air. Quickly closing the distance, he lashed out at her with his gunblade. She took the blow full on, tumbling backwards, but as he carried through with the attack, a sinister smile played across her face.

With a flick of the wrist, a deadly black thorn materialized above him as he charged forwards with the attack. With another twist, Lust brought it crashing down, slamming into his side and pinning him gruesomely to the ground.

"A valiant effort," she told him in mock praise, "but wounded soldiers should just die quietly." She raised her hands, summoning scores of dark crucifixes over her head. "Black Thorns!"

With a flick of her wrist, she brought them crashing down towards him.

"Void!"

There was a flash, and then Daxtin stood between her and the fallen warrior. The many spars of darkness shattered on invisible barriers that hovered before him, the shimmering impacts revealing the shapes of the Nobody's cross and reverse heart. Blue-green light pouring out from the orbs inset in his blades, Daxtin gathered all of his energy, pulling into himself the power of nothing.

"Take this!" he said, finishing his charge and lunging forwards.

"As if such a slow strike could –" started Lust, suddenly gasping in surprise as she felt a bloody hand grab her ankle. Looking down in shock, she saw Rann, a grim smile of victory on his face looking up at her as he prevented her escape.

"Do it, kid!" he yelled, holding fast as she tried to free herself from his grasp.

"Nobody's Heart!" shouted Daxtin, bringing his blades around and slamming into Lust. There was a flash of light and an explosive release of power, long thorny streamers of black and white bursting forth from them in crazed, jagged lines, before suddenly swirling inwards and slamming into their target with a terrible impact. The entire castle shook with the power of it, and when it finally cleared, the room was left empty, devoid of darkness and thorns. All that remained were the scars and destruction of their fight, the two warriors, and the defeated Queen of Thorns.

"Spectacular," she gasped from where she knelt, one hand holding herself up, the other grasping her chest in pain. "You truly are the Nobody with a Heart. Very impressive."

"Now, will you leave Naminé alone?" demanded Daxtin, striding over and pointing one of his blades at her.

"Of course," agreed Lust, panting raggedly. "She's of no further use to us. In fact, for such a spectacular showing, I'll even answer any three questions you have."

"Why would you do that?" asked Rann suspiciously, limping up to them.

"Call it a reward," she replied with a slight smile. "I'm feeling generous. Besides, it's so much more interesting to fight an informed foe."

"Fine then," said the scarred warrior. "Who are you people?"

"We're the Seven," said Lust. "We serve our master."

"Who're the other six?" asked Daxtin quickly.

"Besides, myself, Lust, there is Pride, Greed, Envy, Sloth, Gluttony and Wrath," she listed off easily.

"What can you tell us about them?" Rann asked next.

"Enough to make it interesting," she replied. "Pride, the Seeker of Darkness, is a scheming bastard. He is the manipulator, refined and arrogant. Greed, the Nightmare Dreamer, is a sadistic punk with a penchant for material goods. He is by far the cruelest of our order. Envy, the Fallen Hero, is a self-destructive, self-hating fool. Despite this, he bears the power to exceed us all. Sloth, the Holder of Entropy, is a lazy, indolent slacker who always does what suits himself. However, he is tolerated because he is the most learned, with utter control of his nature. And then we have Gluttony, the Gate Keeper, that cold, pompous ass. With a thought, he can consume all before him. And of course, you know me, Lust, the Queen of Thorns, most illustrious of the Seven."

"And Wrath?" pressed Rann, noticing the one she'd omitted.

"The Seed of Destruction?" murmured Lust, an amused look on her face. "You only need to know one thing about him."

"And that is?" asked Daxtin.

"If you ever meet him, run," she said grimly.

"Fine then," said Rann, unimpressed. "Now, who is your master."

"I already answered your three questions, more than that," she said. "So, I'll be going now."

Before either of them could move, she disappeared in swirl of darkness.

"Hey!" cried Daxtin, lunging forwards, but it was too late; she was gone.

"Damn it," cursed Rann. "I was sure she was too weak to try something like that. Answering our questions was just stalling for time..."

"Well, she said she'd leave Naminé alone now," said Daxtin. "If we can trust her word."

"I think we can," said Rann. "I know her type. But the question is, will they leave_ you_ alone?"

"I don't know," admitted Daxtin. "But before we work on that, we should go back to Naminé so she can fix our memories first."

"Sounds like a plan," said the scarred brunette. "Let's go."

* * *

"Daxtin, you're all right!" said Naminé happily, running over to him as they came out of the last room. 

"I promised, didn't I?" he said with a smile. "That it would all be all right." He looked over her shoulder towards the replica. "And how about you, Diant?"

"I'm not Diant," said the other boy, turning away. "Just an imitation made by Luciella. I don't know for what purpose she created me. All I have left is you and Naminé, but even those memories are fake."

"You don't remember anything else?" asked Daxtin in concern.

"Well, there is one thing," admitted the replica. He started striding off down the hall. "In fact, I think that's what I'll do."

"Wait, Diant! Where are you going?" called Daxtin. "Stay with us! Or at least let us go with you, after helping us like that."

The boy that looked just like his Other paused, his feet coming to a halt at these words.

"What do you care about some fake imitation, someone's pet project?" he asked harshly. "How can you care, knowing that I'm just a look alike shell filled with lies?"

"It's doesn't matter," urged Daxtin. "Who cares if your heart was made by someone or not; what matters is that it's yours. So please, let us help you."

The replica stood there for a moment, before looking back at them over his shoulder. He had a sad smile on his face.

"Thanks, but no thanks," he said softly. "Even if my heart is fake, I can see that you really mean that. But this is something I have to do on my own."

Turning his back on them, he continued off down the hall.

"See you around," he said, before disappearing through the doors into the next room.

"Diant…" said Daxtin helplessly, watching him go.

"Give it up," said Rann firmly. "Even if he's a fake, he's just like your Other. He won't accept your help in the matter."

"I guess so," sighed the boy.

"So," started Rann, turning towards Naminé. "You can fix our memories, right?"

"Of course," she said with a small smile. "Even if you've forgotten something, doesn't mean the memories are gone. You may not be able to recall the memory you're looking for when you want to, but the links are still there. I didn't actually erase your memories… I just pulled apart the links in the chain, rearranging them and forging new links. All I have to do is take apart the chains made in this castle, and then reassemble your original memories. For you, it'll be just like going into a deep sleep, and when you wake, all of this will just be a dream that never happened."

"Okay," said Daxtin. "Hey, wait… doesn't that mean…"

"We'll forget everything that happened here," said Rann.

"That is… what it amounts to," she agreed. "So you'll have to choose: do you want to keep the memories you made here, or do you want your old memories back?"

"I'm fine with it either way," said the scarred warrior. "I remember Meili now, and I remembered her then; that's all that matters to me. It'd be good to remember Radiant Garden better, but the information about the Seven is valuable also. How long will this process take?"

"I don't know," admitted Naminé shyly. "I've never actually done this before. It could be only a few days, or more than a year. Maybe longer."

"I can't afford that uncertainty," said Rann. "I'll just have to do without my memories. As long as I can remember Meili."

"And you?" asked Naminé, turning to Daxtin. "Which memories do you want?"

Daxtin stood silent, not sure how to answer. He wanted to remember his old life, but he also wanted to keep the memories he'd had here. But then there was that girl, that girl whose name he just couldn't remember. He had to know.

"I want my old memories back," he said, finally decided.

"Of course," said Naminé, a little sadly. She turned away from him, to hide the tears in her eyes. "Who wants fake memories anyway?"

He was puzzled by her reaction, the way she fidgeted and looked away. It was as if she didn't want him to remember. Or rather, didn't want him to forget.

"Wait… I'll forget you, won't I?" he asked, the real implications of the decision suddenly hitting him. "I won't remember you at all."

"You won't," she agreed sadly. "I was never in your memories. In anybody's memories. So if you get your original memories back, I won't be there. I'll disappear from your life."

"That's not true!" he said. "When I wake up, you'll be here right? We can be friends then! Even if I don't remember you, we still have our promise in our hearts. You said it yourself; you don't destroy these memories, but just pull them apart. Well, I'll put them back together, and then we can be friends, this time for real!"

"Thanks," she said, smiling a little, "but it doesn't work that way. You can't just call up these memories from the depths of your heart at will."

"I'm going to try anyway," said Daxtin firmly. "And if that doesn't work, then we can just start over. No matter what, we'll be friends."

"You sure?" she asked, a little doubtfully, a little hopefully.

"I promise," he said with a smile.

"Well, then, follow me," said Naminé, returning the smile. "Wait, where did your friend go?"

"Friend?" asked Daxtin in puzzlement. "Oh, Rann." Looking around, he found the scarred warrior was no where to be seen. "He must have taken off without telling us. That's just like him."

"Well, as long as he's following the path he's chosen," said Naminé. She reached over and grabbed his hand, smiling at him. "Anyway, let's go!"

* * *

"So, I have to sleep in this to get my memories back?" Daxtin asked, looking up at the strange, alien, yet vaguely flower-like pod before him, its metallic sections spread like blooming petals. 

"Yes," said Naminé with a nod. "It may be a while, but I'll take care of you while you're in there."

"Well, then… I'm counting on you," he said, walking over to the open chamber and hopping up into it.

"You know… it all started with a lie," said Naminé, looking up at him, "but I'm really glad I got to meet you."

"I'm glad I got to meet you too," he replied with a smile. "Meeting you… even just remembering your name made me so happy. Those feelings weren't a lie."

"Maybe," said Naminé, fiddling with the sleeves of her over-large jacket. "Well, then… goodbye."

"No, not goodbye," said Daxtin. "Just good night. I'll see you again when I wake up. Then we can be real friends. I promised."

"You'll just forget," she reminded him with a sad smile.

"Then you'll just have to remind me," he said with a grin. "That's what friends are for."

"Which is why she's so important," said Naminé suddenly. "That girl, the one I tried to replace. She's your light."

"My light?" asked Daxtin in a puzzled tone.

"Yes," she continued. "The light within the darkness, the one that can reveal all the loose links that sunk into the shadows of your heart. The one who will help you remember." She reached into her jacket, pulling out a sheet of paper. She gently threw it towards Daxtin, and it drifted easily up to him, landing in his waiting hands. On it was a drawing, a portrait of the red haired girl whose name he couldn't remember.

"This is her…" he said, staring at it.

"Yes," said Naminé, as the petals of the metal pod began to close around him. "Just hold on to that light."

As the darkness closed in around him, Daxtin stared at the drawing in his hands, trying to remember. Piece by piece, flashes of images, the barest still shots of memories came to mind, but none of them the one he was seeking. Just as he was about to give up though, he suddenly remembered her smile, that warm, genuine smile that she gave him. And it all fell in to place.

"I remember her name!" he said excitedly to Naminé. "It's Kai–"

And then the pod closed, and sleep engulfed him.

* * *

There was a swirl of darkness, and then Lust was there. But she did not stand high and proud, instead she knelt on the floor, gasping for breath and holding her aching body. 

"He's really more than I expected," she said. "Truly amazing."

"I knew you would underestimate his heart," said a calm voice. Stumbling in her hurry to turn towards the speaker, Lust sent herself sprawling gracelessly across the floor as her gaze met that of Luciella.

"You… I thought he destroyed you," she said in surprise.

"As if I would fall to my own plan," replied Luciella with a little smile.

"So smug, so proud," hissed the deposed Queen of Thorns angrily. "You think you're so great, just because everything chanced to fall in your favor."

"Chance?" said Luciella with a small smile. "Chance? This was not by chance, Lust. You already know that I freed Naminé, but did you think that was the only measure I took? Did you really think my creation of Diant's Replica was just a toy experiment? That his rejection of Naminé's false memories was a miscalculation that led by chance to his alliance with Daxtin and their resulting rescue of Naminé from your clutches? Or that it was by chance that the White Room on the 10th floor reacted to Rann's memories, instead of Diant's, reminding him of his love, of the one he sought, and thereby rekindling that vital flame within him? That I truly failed to defeat them on the following floor, rather than leaving valuable clues and forging within them a greater will to fight? Even down to many of the words of the people they met in those rooms, it was all according to my plan."

"To go so far…" gasped Lust in a stunned voice.

"And that is why a servant can defeat the master," concluded the dark girl. "Everything has fallen into place. The Nobody with a Heart remains the key to your master's fall and Naminé is no longer available to you. Oh, and, as I promised, you have told me more than enough about the others of the Seven. Now, only one last question: who is the Master?"

"As if I'd ever tell you," spat Lust vehemently.

"Then, you have no further use to me," said Luciella coldly.

With the quickest flick of her fingers, faster than Lust could even barely register, the Doll Master unleashed a quick flurry of dark strings, quickly binding her former mistress. As she held her tight, she only looked down with an empty gaze, neither hateful nor pitying.

"Goodbye," she said simply, and then it was done. Lust was no more.

"_Scary_ stuff," said a grinning voice, followed by the redhead it came from. "Guess I made the right choice."

"Of course!" said a cheery second.

"Sam, Karie," greeted Luciella curtly.

"So, are we done here?" asked the fighter. "You fixed up Daxtin and whatever, freed Naminé, killed Lust. You done screwing the Seven over?"

"This is only the beginning," said Luciella.

"Well, yeah, but I meant for now," sighed Sam. She was getting tired of her sister's dramatic flair, but considering their new relationship of master-and-servant, she decided not to point it out.

"Well, there _is_ one more here," pointed out Luciella.

"One more what?" asked Karie curiously.

"Of the Seven," she replied patiently. "I might as well see to him while he's so conveniently close." She gazed darkly downwards, as if she really could stare through the many layers of stone into the basement below where he awaited. "I'm coming for you… Pride."

* * *

_Finally: So ends Daxtin's chapter of The Forgotten Castle. He won't be making any more conscious appearances until the next book. Anyway, sorry this took so long; with various games, updates, work, school and Thanksgiving, I got kind of distracted from writing, but it was always on my mind. Well, anyway, now that we've finished Daxtin's arc, we now head into more original territory with Diant. Only 3 chapters left!_

_Next Chapter: Diant faces memories of his past; can he escape the dark, or will the light burn him away?_


	22. Acceptance

Chapter 21: Acceptance

* * *

A violent rumbling shook the castle, causing Anya to cry out and fall against Diant for support. After a few moments, it stopped, but rather than relief, a sense of unease settled on them.

"Something's changed," said Diant, tilting his head curiously.

"What do you mean?" asked Anya, blushing slightly as she regained her balance and pushed away from him, stumbling only a little despite her injuries.

"One of the scents is gone," he replied. "I didn't notice its presence before, since it was so pervasive, but now that it's gone, it's like there's a huge gap where it used to be. The darkness that permeated the castle is gone."

"Do you think it was Pride?" suggested the dark girl hopefully.  
"No, I can still sense him," growled Diant, growing despondent just at the thought of the man. "This was someone else."

"That was Lust, one of my unfortunate, less talented peers," said a familiar voice. As he spoke, a pillar of darkness shot up before them, leaving behind the tall, darkly handsome figure of Pride. "She was defeated by that empty shell you call a Nobody."

"Daxtin beat her? So he's all right?" said Anya.

"For now," replied Pride. "I have no interest in him at this time. But even as we speak, he's going to meet that witch-girl that Lust kept. I wonder how he'll fare…"  
"What do you mean?" demanded the girl worriedly.

"But enough of that," said the blonde cruelly, his lightning-blue eyes flashing with malice. "I've come to see to you, Diant. How are you feeling?"

"Pissed off, now that you're here," he spat back.

"I meant your darkness," he continued, ignoring the remark. "Have you mastered it yet? Or has it mastered you? Have you become the vessel of darkness that I desire?"

"I don't know about mastery, but it helped to take out that woman you had working with you," he growled irritably. "How about that, huh?"

"You mean that darkling from the Organization?" muttered Pride. "Ah, yes, I think I recall such a thing. To tell the truth, I'm not particularly stricken. Pleased, if anything. It proves your worth as my vessel."

"I've told you before, I won't ever serve you again," asserted the boy.

"You can never be free of the taint," said the Seeker of Darkness coldly. "Haven't your memories taught you that?"

"They've shown he can overcome this!" interrupted Anya. "He can be more than the darkness."  
"Oh, really?" murmured the man in an amused voice. "Well, if you don't believe me, then let your memories tell you for a final time. This next White Room holds somewhere very dear to your heart. Can you face seeing that tainted with darkness?"

With that final challenge, Pride was engulfed in another pillar of darkness, this time leaving behind nothing but smoke and mocking laughter.

"Don't really have a choice now, do I?" muttered Diant to the empty hall. Snorting in disdain for his elegant tormentor, he started off down the hall towards the doors, only stopping when he heard Anya trip and cry out behind him. Spinning about quickly, he found her still on her feet, but clutching her side and wincing.

"I'm fine," she assured him, despite the obvious.

"I doubt that," he said. "Kyara hurt you pretty bad." He sighed and walked back over to her. "Sorry to drag you into this."  
"It's not your fault," said Anya, shaking her head. "Besides, I think she had something against me anyway."

"Yeah, well I don't want to drag you into this any further," said Diant, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You're already hurt enough as is; it's only going to get worse from here. Just stay here and I'll come back for you once I've dealt with that bastard."

"I said I'm fine, I can keep going," she said, standing upright.

"Oh, really?" he said, mercilessly reaching out and jabbing her in the side. The dark-haired girl immediately winced and clutched at the attacked area. "Yeah, that's what I thought." He sighed, seeing that she was still determined to continue. "Look, it's only a few more floors, right? Unless I lost count, there's only three more until we hit ground level. I'm sure I can handle those three by myself. You just sit the rest of this out."

"You don't have to worry about me," she said stubbornly.

"Well, fine then!" he said, getting frustrated with her. "How about if I worry about myself!"

"What?" said Anya, stunned by the sudden outburst.

"You'll be in the way, okay? Just stay here until I come back!" he shouted, turning away from her quickly. He grit his teeth, waiting for some sort of response. None came. "Got it? Good."

He head off towards the doors, the only sound his own feet against the cold stone floor. Behind him, only silence.

"It's for your own good," he whispered softly as he pushed open the doors, stepping forwards and leaving her behind.

* * *

Inside the White Room, a long sunny beach with warm, golden sands stretched ahead of Diant. The waves crashed gently along the shores as palm trees swayed in a breeze that carried the salty tang of the ocean. The place was immediately recognizable; it was Destiny Islands.

"My home, huh? So, this is what he meant," murmured Diant to himself. His musings were cut short though as he saw a figure come running down the beach towards him. It quickly resolved itself into the familiar, lanky, brown haired form of his best friend. "Kir!"

The other boy stopped a few feet away from him, an uncharacteristically solemn look on his face. He said nothing, only stared at Diant unwaveringly.

"After all this, I'm finally glad to see you," continued Diant with a smile. However, as he got no response, he finally noticed his friend's unusual silence. "Hey, what's up? You sick or something?"

However, even as the words left his mouth, the boy before him faded, disappearing like a fleeting image. Within seconds, Diant was once more alone.

"…so that's how it is," he muttered bitterly. Sighing, he turned and headed on down the beach, not sure what he was looking for, not sure he cared.

* * *

Anya sat forlornly on the stone floor, leaning tiredly back against one of the square carven pedestals that lined the hall. She was looking over her hand. It was pale, but that was normal for her. There was blood on it, but it was already dried, a dark red flaking crust that fell away at her touch. With detached curiosity, she began surveying her other wounds, probing gently at various holes in her suit and the blood beneath. She winced in pain in some places, but for the most part felt only smooth, unbroken skin. Even as she withdrew her fingers, she watched as tendrils of darkness wove across the holes in her clothes, quickly weaving together and then closing up the tears. In a matter of moments, any visible trace of her previous injuries were gone, though she could still feel aches she knew wouldn't go away for some time yet.

"Darkness really is amazing," she murmured softly to herself, shaking her head a little sadly. Getting to her feet, she noted some pain, but it was bearable. More importantly was the boy that had left her behind. She knew he was right in that she couldn't help him, and would only hinder him, when she was so grievously injured, but he hadn't counted on her accelerated healing. So maybe he'd be glad to see her now that she was okay? After all, it seemed like he could use all the help he could get, in the face of such darkness. She smiled a little; maybe she _could_ be his guiding light after all.

Stretching and testing her limbs, Anya brushed off her clothes before looking towards the imposing doors that stood at the end of the hall.

"Here I come, Diant."

* * *

Diant turned as he heard movement behind him. Standing there one the rickety wooden bridge with him was a red haired girl, about his age, watching him with emotionless blue eyes.

"Kairi, it's you!" he said excitedly upon seeing her. His spirits sank as she didn't answer, only continued to stare. "No, not you too…"  
As if in response, the girl also faded from sight, gone in seconds.

"Damn it!" he shouted angrily. "Why is this always happening?"

"Shouldn't you have expected it by now?" came the taunting call. "Really, do you forget so quickly?"

"Ansem!" hissed Diant, spinning about to find the dark man waiting for him.

"You have nothing but darkness now," continued his tormentor. "Bright memories of friends you threw away no longer exist in that corrupt heart of yours."

"I didn't throw them away!" asserted the boy.

"Didn't you?" doubted Pride. "Then do you not remember that night?"

As he said this, the surroundings suddenly shifted. The sunny afternoon sky was suddenly replaced by rumbling storm clouds, flickering tongues of lightning flashing amidst them. The ocean of sparkling water was replaced with an endless pit of darkness, the peaceful island now reduced to crumbling bits of land that hovered precariously over the abyss. The wind howled, and all around the island was consumed by the darkness, palm trees uprooted and sand siphoning off like so much lost time into the abyss.

"This is the night of the storm!" exclaimed Diant in surprise, looking around at his new situation.

"You say that as if the storm is the cause, not the effect," mocked Pride. "You refuse to see your true memories. You _know_ what happened that night."

"The night of the accident," he said quietly.

"Still clinging to that?" continued the elegant prince with a look of amusement. "You know this was no accident."

"It _was_ an accident!" asserted Diant. "It tore us all apart!"

"It tore your world apart because the door was forcibly opened!" roared Pride. "And who was the one who opened it? Who so desperately wished to escape his mundane island, his mundane life, his mundane friends? Who so desperately wanted to explore the great beyond? Who opened his heart to darkness itself to fulfill his selfish wish? It was you!" he shouted, bringing an accusing finger to bear on the boy. "You opened the door!"

"No!" shouted Diant, but even as he did, another figure appeared on the blasted chunk of rock they stood on. It was Diant, his back to them, facing towards the endless darkness that surrounded them and welcoming it with open arms. "That's not me!"

"You're right; it's not you," agreed Pride coldly. "That is who you _were_. This is who you are now!"

A roaring blast of darkness shot forth from the memory-Diant, engulfing the entire fragment of island. When it subsided, nothing was left except for Diant and a rapidly growing shadow, one that had he first seen on that fateful night, and had felt inside himself ever after.

"Darkside... Heartless," said Diant, staring up at the enormous black figure.

Diant drew his aura blades, staring up at the imposing monster. He had faced this creature twice before, once on the night of the storm that tore Destiny Islands apart, and once more atop the Altar of Naught. The first time, he had been terrified, frozen in awe and fear. The second time, he had laughed in its face, mocking its almost comic proportions, its form as an undefined creature of black. But this time, he couldn't laugh. He couldn't shake off the fear he felt for it. This looming darkness was not just some caricature of evil manifest, a vague manifestation of darkness and shadow, but an avatar, a true representation of a very real set of sins. This was Diant's darkness, incarnate.

Diant shook his head, trying to dispel the growing sensation of terror. Giving a yell, he charged forwards at the enormous Heartless. The shadowy behemoth threw forwards a giant fist at him as he charged onwards.

"Divider!" shouted Diant, lashing out with his aura blade and continuing the charge. A slashing arc of light burst from his weapon, cutting the oncoming limb in twain. However, this didn't seem to slow the monster in the slightest. Instead, the split column of darkness crashed into the ground on either side of him, waves of shadow splashing up around him. Tendrils of black and Heartless shadows burst forth from the impact, leaping at Diant. The boy lashed out angrily at his attackers, cutting them down as they came at him. His actions slowed though as familiar figures formed from the darkness. They were a multitude of dark silhouettes of old friends and foes, all charging at him with no expression other than dark, glowing-eyed hunger. Diant momentarily paused as the first of them, a feminine figure that looked suspiciously like Kairi ran towards him. He grit his teeth in frustration and gripped his weapons tighter.

Then he smiled.

"Yeah right!" he yelled, striking the oncoming Heartless down. Laughing desperately, he spun about, striking down shadowy figures of comrades and combatants left and right, with no distinction or mercy. "As if I could be taken by cheap imitations like that!"

Spinning in a circle, he unleashed both aura blades, letting Joiner and Divider fly from his hands. The twin blades cut through the air, scything down the shadowy figures that surrounded him before returning to his hands.

Dark mists were all that remained of his fallen foes, but these quickly gathered, coalescing into the form of Darkside Heartless once more. The giant black figure loomed above him, darkness siphoning down around it from the storm above.

"I'm not afraid!" shouted the boy defiantly, lunging at the monstrosity. The lumbering Heartless responded with surprising speed, bringing its arms forwards and unleashing streaming tendrils of darkness. Diant clashed against them with his blades, flying back from the impact and hitting the ground. Landing hard on his feet, he quickly lashed out with his own blades, intending to let loose a flurry of divisive energy. Instead, however, tendrils of darkness shot forth from his blades, intercepting Darkside's own projections. The two writhing beams of shadow crashed against each other, each pulsing and shimmering with dark energies as they tried to overpower each other. Diant struggled with growing frustration as he stared up at the emotionless, glowing yellow eyes of his nemesis. He knew that it was a representation of himself, and that only made him angrier.

Gathering all his pent up rage and frustration, he unleashed those turbulent emotions in a single blast of overwhelming darkness.

"I _hate_ you!" he yelled, letting loose his power. The resulting wave of destruction tore through the Heartless's attack, slamming into it and sending it stumbling back. Still not done, Diant spun about and flung his aura blades at it in a decisive attack. "Dark Strike!"

The two aura blades hit dead center in the heart-shaped hole that gaped in Darkside's chest, sticking firm in the void, held by a web of crackling black lightning. The same black lightning crackled around Diant's outstretched arms, quickly growing in fury and voltage until both hands were engulfed in balls of crackling black flame. A line of power leapt out from his palms to the twin blades lodged in his foe, connecting them in an instant.

"Heart Breaker!" he roared, bringing his arms forwards and slamming his hands together. The gathered darkness burst from him, traveling along the connected line and slamming into his enemy. There was a deafening impact, and then the darkness exploded, the giant Heartless instantly eliminated in a flash of darkness.

Diant stood for a moment, waiting, but there was no response. It was over. He had won.

"I did it," he said quietly, as he stood amidst the desolation. "I _did_ it. I beat the darkness."

"By use of even greater darkness," came Pride's haunting voice. "And in doing so, you have only made it stronger."

The dark prince appeared before him, floating casually with arms crossed.

"Pathetic," he spat derisively, looking down at the boy. "You possess an ocean of darkness, and yet rather than embrace its depths, you flail helplessly at its mercy."

As he spoke, dark shadows formed at Diant's feet. They quickly grew, engulfing the surrounding land even as they stretched forth off the ground, dark tendrils surrounding the boy and entangling him in their grasp. He struggled against the entwining darkness, but to no avail.

"Fine then," said Pride, watching his fruitless struggles. "Sink into the wastes. Then when your empty, shadow-soaked shell floats to the surface, perhaps I can have my vessel. Drown in darkness."

The elegant tormentor gave a snap of his fingers, and then that was the last thing Diant saw before the darkness engulfed him.

* * *

"So this is how it ends?" asked Diant. All around him was nothing but darkness. There was no sensation except for its cold, welcoming embrace. The light of the surface was long since gone. He could no longer breathe. He was drowning.

"Only if you want it to be," came a voice.

"Who's… there?" he managed to gasp out, only a faint curiosity overcoming his failing senses. There, in the darkness, a girl appeared before him. She had warm blue eyes and vivid red hair. "Kairi?"

"He's right, you know," she said, standing calmly beside him as he sunk into the depths of darkness. "The darkness you possess is as vast and deep as this ocean that surrounds you. Because it's your true nature."

"So I have no choice but to drown or sin," he despaired.

"Embracing the darkness is not the same as embracing evil," Kairi corrected him. "Light and dark are merely two halves of a whole. People are made of both. Your power just happens to come from this half. How you use it, is up to you."

"All this time I've been pushing it away…" said Diant, feeling his descent slow.

"Because you were afraid," she said. "And anyone would be afraid of a darkness as boundless as yours. But if you can stare into it unflinching, you'll never know fear again. Know that the darkness is there and that it is yours and yours alone. Do this, and you'll gain strength unlike any other. You'll be able to see through the brightest light…"

"…and I'll be able to walk through any darkness," he finished, his fall coming to halt as he stood before her. "But if I embrace this darkness… won't that just fulfill Ansem's desires?"

"No," said Kairi with a smile. "If you do this, he can never touch you or your darkness."

"Because it's _my_ darkness," Diant realized. He raised an arm above his hand, drawing forth his power, his true nature. "Darkness, _awaken_!"

The darkness that engulfed him surged forwards, an ocean of power draining towards a single point. The shadows enshrouded him, wrapping themselves about his body, forming the dark, muscled textures of the Dark Form, with its shadowy tendons and crimson highlights. The darkness drew back towards him, revealing the destroyed memory of the islands and the stunned figure of Pride even as Diant's twin aura blades, ablaze with deathly blue flame, appeared in his hands.

"Impossible!" sputtered the swordsman, drawing back from dark figure that now stood before him. "What did you do!?"

"Only what you wanted all this time, you bastard," said Diant with a grim smile, stepping towards him. "I finally embraced my true nature."

"It should have crushed you with its power!" yelled Pride angrily.

"I control the darkness," said Diant. "It doesn't control me. And neither will you!"

He lunged forwards, lashing out with his aura blades. They struck Pride straight and true, sending him stumbling back.

"We'll… see about that, boy!" growled Pride before disappearing in a column of darkness. Diant leapt towards him, but too late; his blades cut through nothing but trailing wisps of shadow.

"Tch… got away," said Diant. He dismissed the aura blades, and released his dark form, the black suit melting from his body and back into his heart, ready for when he next called. "Well, I should get a move on then. Sooner I finish him off, the sooner I can get out of here. _We_ can get out of here," he corrected with a small smile. He thought about that for a little bit, and then laughed a little. "I think I've got a few things to say to her next time I see her. Anya, that is."

* * *

Anya looked about the empty white hall forlornly. She hadn't found Diant yet. Maybe he'd already gone ahead? After all, she'd only encountered a few scattered Heartless in the peaceful memory of Destiny Islands that she'd seen. That wouldn't have slowed him down at all. It never occurred to her that he might have seen something different, or that she may have passed him entirely.

"Diant, where are you?" she asked the empty hall despairingly.

"Right here," came the confident answer.

Anya spun about just in time to see the boy come out of the doors of the White Room she'd just left. Simple as that, there he was, with cocky grin, spiky hair and dark blue jacket. Normal.

"Diant, you're here!" she said happily, running up to him. "I was looking for you."

"Funny, I was just thinking about you," he said with an amused grin. "Any particular reason you came for me?"

"I was worried," she admitted, turning his face away from him and blushing slightly. "I didn't know if you were okay, facing Pride and the darkness alone."

"Oh, that?" he said with a grin. "I've gotten over that. It took a while, but I've come to terms with the darkness. All that's left is Ansem."

"Well, that's great!" said Anya, her face a mixture of relief and congratulations as she looked up towards him.

"I came to a few other realizations also," said Diant, looking away slightly.

"Like what?" asked Anya, noticing the change in his attitude.

"About… you," he said, still not meeting her eyes. "Us."

"U-us?" she stuttered, feeling all her old shyness coming back and her face turn red. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"I think I've always known it, but I didn't want to accept it," said Diant. "I didn't think it was real or that it meant anything, but the more I've thought about it, the less I could deny it."

"D-Diant, what are you saying?" she asked, flushing bright red.

"And now I know it's true, and before this all ends, whatever way it might, I have to tell you," he said, turning to face her again. He stared down into her eyes, his gaze an intense seriousness that made Anya freeze in place and go weak in the knees. "Anya, the truth is…"

"Yes?" she managed to barely gasp out, almost unable to breathe in anticipation.

"The truth is, Anya," he continued, looking sincerely into her eyes so deeply, "I…"

"You…" she could only repeat helplessly, held in place by those eyes.

"I hate you."

* * *

_PWNED: Yes, this is the real chapter. No, this is not a joke. Yes, I am that awesome._

Sorry it took so long; I get distracted a lot, though I'd like to point out having your wisdom teeth out does cut into your writing time. Mostly it was Dennou Coil though. I downloaded and watched the first 22 episodes. I highly recommend it; as a friend put it "if Miyazaki did Lain". Heartwarming, funny, yet also capable of being incredibly creepy. Oh, and it's all techno-geek stuff, so that's fun too. 

_Next Chapter: True feelings, Anya beyond control. Is there really a light within the darkness?  
_


	23. True Feelings

Chapter 22: True Feelings

* * *

"I hate you." 

And with those three simple words, Anya felt the entire world shatter around her.

"Wh-what?" she stuttered, completely shocked. "Why? Diant?"

"You're weak," he said coldly, staring at her with a distant, piercing gaze. "I can't stand how weak you are. It makes me sick to think I ever needed your help, even if for only a moment."

Anya's legs gave out from under her, no longer having the will or care to remain standing. She collapsed to her knees, her hands slapping the cold, stone floor as her head hung forwards, unable to meet those eyes.

"You're useless," continued Diant, looking down at her. "That weak, submissive form. Those eyes that cry. The arms that clung to me. Pathetic."

She couldn't believe it. Was this what he really thought of her? Were these the feelings he'd been hiding this whole time? She had known his frustration with her before, but was it really a hatred that ran so deep? She couldn't believe it. She wouldn't believe it. It had to be some sick joke. Desperate for an answer, she looked up, seeking hope in those blue eyes that looked down upon her, afraid to find disgust, anger, or worse yet, hatred. She found none of these.

Instead she found pity.

"You can't even stand," he said, with a look that showed an unbridgeable gap between them. She was levels below him, almost beneath his notice and his look said it all. "You could never stand. Not for yourself, anyway. All you can do is be another pawn of the darkness."

The shock was too much. Anya didn't even notice the tears falling down her face, staining the pure white stone of Castle Oblivion. All she could do was look into those distant eyes and listen to his distant voice as the world fell apart all around her.

"You can't lead, so you try to follow," said Diant. "Blindly clinging to whoever you find; me, my Nobody, anyone! You try to help, but it's useless. It disgusts me that I ever fell so low as to be below you, but that's changed. I've recovered. And now I don't need someone like you in my way anymore."

"Diant," she gasped desperately, choking it out through the unrelenting tears. She reached a hand up desperately towards him. If she could just touch him, if she could just close the growing distance between them, this cold image would shatter and disappear, she was sure of it. If she could just reach out to him. "Diant, I…"

"Don't touch me!" he yelled, his arm smashing through her outstretched hand as he backhanded her harshly, sending her sprawling. For a moment she just lay there on the ground, unmoving. After a moment, she brought a shaking hand up to her stinging cheek, still aching with the impact of the blow.

"Diant…" she whispered quietly, staring off aimlessly as she lay on the cold stone tiles.

"Get out of my sight," he said harshly. When he said no more, she dared to look up, only to find his back to her. He didn't even acknowledge her anymore.

Shaking uncontrollably, Anya stumbled to her feet and ran, as fast as she could. She didn't even care where she was going, not even noticing as she ran up the stairs, as long as it was away from these world shattering revelations and the boy at the center of them all. Within moments, her frantic footsteps disappeared into a distance.

Diant sighed. Then, slowly, he smiled.

"Well, that's her out of the way," he said with a grin. He looked towards the doors of the previous White Room. He could feel his hands trembling in anticipation. "Now, time to deal with the Real Thing."

* * *

"I wonder how Anya's doing?" said Diant as he exited the White Room. "Was it really okay to have left her alone?" 

"Probably not," came a mocking voice, "but don't you have other things to be worrying about, Real Thing?"

"You!" spat Diant angrily as he caught sight of the speaker. Standing down the hall from him was his mirror image, this time wearing Diant's casual clothes. "You here for a rematch?"

"Exactly," said the replica with a grin, walking up to him. "It might even be fun this time. I've got full control of my power, and you aren't afraid of the darkness anymore."

"How do you know that?" asked Diant suspiciously, taking a step back from his clone.

"Because I'm you," said the replica sinisterly, stopping a few feet away from him.

"No, _I'm_ me," shot back Diant immediately. The smile fell from his replica's face, and the artificial boy paused momentarily.

"'No, _I'm_ me,' he says," muttered the replica mockingly. "Must be nice being real. A fake like me could never get away with saying that." He laughed disparagingly at himself. "Yeah, that's right, I'm a fake! I can't be you; I can't be anyone. Even if Daxtin says otherwise, my heart's still just an empty shell. But there's one thing I can do about it."

"Yeah, and what's that?" said Diant challengingly.

"I can kill you!" shouted the replica, dark shadows bursting from his body and wrapping around him, replacing his clothes with the Dark Form. Twin aura blades appeared in his hands as he glared angrily at Diant. "I'll destroy everything you have, and then when you're gone, I'll be the only one left! This is all that's left to fill the emptiness inside me!"

"You want to play? Let's play!" laughed Diant, also donning the Dark Form, Joiner and Divider materializing in his grip. He charged forwards, sliding under as his twin slung a deathly blue ball of flame at him. Skidding across the smooth white stone, he came up behind the other boy, swinging with both blades recklessly. The replica dodged back only momentarily before jumping back in, lashing out with the same abandon.

Their blades met in a clashing fury, black upon white upon black. The two met each other with overpowering double-handed swings, their blades colliding and sending them each stumbling back. Rather than take this time to recover and measure up though, both boys immediately charged each other again, not even caring that their balance was still off and their footwork shaky.

"Netherstorm!" they shouted in unison, each flinging their aura blades at the other. The twin sets of blades exploded with power, each unleashing dark gales of ravaging wind, spinning cyclones that met with an explosion of shadow and force. Regardless of this, both Diant's leapt for the combined tower of wind, snatching their aura blades out from the wind, then in an instant, cutting past. "Breaker!"

The churning column of air exploded violently, causing the hall to shake and shattering many of the carven roses that adorned the walls. Both boys stood, still leaning slightly forwards, arms out with blades extended, backs to each other. At the exact same time, bursts of darkness shot from their left shoulders, causing each to stumble in pain. However, this wasn't enough to give either pause.

Diant reversed the grip on Joiner, instinctively knowing his copy was doing the same. Slamming his two aura blades together, he joined them at the hilt, creating a single double-bladed creation. He spun around to face his opponent, seeing that the replica also had his joined aura blades spinning in a whirling disc of black and white suspended just inches from the palm of his hand. Both boys continued the momentum of their about face, transferring the force into their throwing arms and letting the spinning blades fly.

"Whirlwind Raid!" they each shouted. The twin discs flew right past each other towards the enemy of the one who'd thrown them. Both Diant's dodged out of the way, stepping to the side then running forwards for each other. As they charged towards each other, their flying blades began to execute a long arc, coming back around and towards them. However, both boys knew they wouldn't hit again, just like they had missed before, because both boys knew they were each looking at the exact same thing even as they ran at each other. As they came right upon each other, they each lunged forwards at one another, flying past each other by mere inches as they reached their arms out for their blades. If there was even the slightest difference, if one of them could grab their returning weapons even one second before the other did... "Storm's Divide!"

Their was an explosion of power as each boy brought their weapons swinging around and slamming into each other, the released energies meeting equal and opposite resistance. The sparking shots of lightning and wind finally culminated in a blast of energy that sent both boys flying off their feet, landing hard at opposite ends of the hall.

"Is that all you've got?" yelled the replica, stumbling to his feet.

"That's _my_ line!" shouted back Diant, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. "If all you're going to do is copy me, you'll always be a fake!"

"Fine then, want to see something original?" roared the replica angrily, charging down the hall towards him. "Shadow Squall!"

He skid to a halt halfway down the way, transferring his built up momentum to his blades, which he let fly, Joiner and Divider spinning off down the hall, flanking the sides. As they did, the replica's hands became wreathed blue flames, which quickly darkened to a deep violet before bursting into crackling black lightning. Flinging his arms forwards, he unleashed twin blasts of dark electricity which filled the hallway with their chaotic pulse.

"Crap!" spat Diant, preparing to meet the storm. He lashed out with both blades, sending arcs of energy at the oncoming wave of sparking black, before dismissing the weapons and loading his hands with balls of deathly blue flames. He quickly began flinging as many of the fireballs as he could, their impacts crashing into the bolts of lightning with spectacular booms and explosions. However, as he neutralized the electricity, the two aura blades from his replica came flying in from the sides.

The twin blades struck him from right and left, one high, one low, knocking Diant from his feet and sending him spinning. Taken so off guard, he could only hit the ground helplessly as his replica came charging in. The other dark boy grabbed the twin blades out of midair and leapt up high, reaching the apex of his jump directly above the fallen Diant.

"Midnight Thunder!" he shouted, bringing both blades, crackling with black lightning, down in a devastating overhand strike.

He struck Diant with crushing force, a black sphere of energy bursting forth from the impact, a rolling wave of sound and power that rattled the very foundations of the castle as it moved outwards. Then the slow moving wave of black suddenly collapsed as it reached critical mass, imploding inwards before exploding back out in a final flash of shadow and lightning. And then there was nothing but broken tile, and two boys, one triumphant and standing above the other, lying slumped in defeat.

"It's over," said the replica, staring down at his original.

"Not yet," said Diant, struggling to rise, but falling back to the ground powerlessly.

"Give it up; you can't even move," said the other Diant.

Diant continued to fight to get back up, but it was to no avail. After a few moments, he fell back to the ground, laying still except for his rise and fall of his chest in time with his ragged breathing.

"Hopeless. Now, time to end this," concluded the replica. He held out one arm, his hand immediately becoming engulfed in a cloud of crackling, shrieking black lightning. Raising his hand back, he gave a roar as he brought down the killing blow. "Dark Thundaga!"

He gasped suddenly and froze, the lightning in his hand faltering and going out. He looked down to the hand slammed into his chest, burning with darkness and fury. Then his eyes went to the boy below him, the boy with the grinning face.

"Dark Firaga," said Diant with a tone of finality.

There was an explosion of deathly blue flame, and then it was over.

"You were… faking?" gasped the replica unbelievingly, stumbling back, the darkness fading from his body.

"Only partly," said Diant, coughing as he got roughly to his feet, his own Dark Form dispersing. "But really, shouldn't a fake like you be able to spot another fake?"

"Not when it's an original," said the other boy with grim humor, collapsing to the ground and landing in a rough sitting position, clutching his chest. "I guess a copy just can't win."

"Not by being a copy," replied Diant, stopping by the fallen replica's side. "But that last part was pretty good. You should do your own thing, you know?"

"A… little late for that, don't you think?" he said with a grim smile. He coughed fitfully. "This is it. I guess we know who's the only one who can be Diant, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so," said Diant, kneeling beside him.

"Hey, Real Thing," said the replica, turning to face him.

"What?" asked the boy.

"I'm fading," said the replica, raising a shaky hand. Sure enough, dark mist was subliming from the tips of his fingers in a hazy black smoke. "For someone with a fake heart… a heart like mine… where does our heart go?"

"Probably the same place all our hearts go," said Diant uncomfortably, not sure what to say.

"How original," he laughed dryly. "In that case, I'll see you on the other side. If not, well… I guess I won't be around to be disappointed, will I?"

"Probably not," said Diant, getting back up to his feet. He started to walk away, but stopped when a voice rang out from behind him.

"Hey, wait up," called the Diant Replica. The original looked back at him over his shoulder. "Can you apologize to that girl for me? I did something horrible to her. If you hurry, maybe you can still… catch up to… her."

"Girl? You mean Anya?" said the other boy sharply, turning back to the dying construct. He ran towards him, sliding on his knees and grabbing the other boy by his collar. "What did you do to her!?"

But his demands fell on deaf ears; the replica's eyes were already closed, and within moments, he faded away, an ephemeral cloud of black smoke with a glimmer of something Diant couldn't quite identify.

"Anya…" said Diant, looking down the hall towards the stairs upwards. He could smell her up ahead, but something was off about it. Something dark, unstable. Making his decision, he got to his feet and started running.

* * *

Diant burst through the double doors of the next White Room, suddenly plunging from radiant white to pitch black. All around him were towering black monoliths, hollow shells of buildings with yellow light pouring out from their windows. Neon signs in multitudes of languages abounded, but even this abundance of lights did nothing to illuminate the darkness that filled this empty city. 

"The Undercity," muttered Diant, gazing up to the night sky where the white castle of the Nobodies hung under the heart-shaped moon. Once again, he was in the World that Never Was, but now in the dark city below instead of the castle above. He looked about, ignored the lurking Heartless in the shadows and sniffing the air. "Ugh… so much darkness… I can't really tell where she is…"

There was a sudden reverberation, shaking the whole city with a rumbling noise so low that it was felt rather than heard. Heartless shadows scattered left and right, taking cover in the sudden quake and roll of oppressive aura. When it finished, Diant could feel the sweat dripping down his face from the sheer pressure of it.

"That darkness… is that really Anya?" he gasped, looking towards the direction from which the wave originated. Shaking his head, he started running down the dark alleys of the city, twisting and turning in his effort to close in on the source.

The city was like a labyrinth, with dead ends and looping twists that tried to through Diant off and lose him in their depths. It didn't matter though. As long as he could follow her darkness, he would never lose his way. And so it wasn't long that he finally found his way to the plaza where he himself had first arrived in the World that Never Was: Memory's Skyscraper.

The towering neon-lit building and its massive television screen that blinked and glowered like a watching eye dominated the opposite side of the square. However, Diant's attention was instead drawn to the dark figure standing in the square below.

"Anya?" he called tentatively.

The girl jumped in surprise, turning to face him warily. She held the Shadow Lance in her hands, her body tense in moments between fight-or-flight reactions.

"Anya, it's me," he said, walking over to her. "Are you all right?"

"Get away from me!" she yelled suddenly, causing him to halt in his tracks. Rain began to fall as she stood there, clutching her weapon tightly, her body and head hunched up as if she were trying to hide.

"What happened? Are you okay?" he asked again, but this time keeping some distance between them.

"Why do you care?" she sobbed, tears mingling with the ever-increasing downpour. "You hate me."

"What?" said Diant in surprise. "Why would I hate you?"

"You think I'm weak," she replied quietly, "that I'm an annoyance. You said so yourself."

"When did I…" started Diant, trailing off as he suddenly realized what had happened. _So this is what that replica did…_

"But I'll show you!" she shouted, her voice echoing about the plaza. "I'm not weak! I'll show you that you can't look down on me like that, not after I, my feelings, I… I'll show you!"

The entire square shook with the sudden blast of power from Anya, a rolling darkness that rumbled the ground and caused Diant's ears to ache with the pressure of it. Then suddenly the pressure ceased, causing Diant to stop clutching his head and look towards the girl that had caused it.

She stood there, tall, strong and deadly. Gone was any hesitance, shyness or emotion at all for that matter. Anya's face was a pale mask of white, her eyes black holes with the distant glimmer of distant spark of white in the centers, surrounded by radiating lines like stars, or targeting sights. There was no mercy in these eyes, and they were staring directly at Diant.

"Anya?" he asked tenuously.

Her response was instantaneous. Disappearing in a sudden blur of shadows, she reappeared directly before him, lashing out with the Shadow Lance.

Diant dodged to the side, rolling to narrowly avoid the diagonal slash and the resulting wave of dark energy that flew from her spear. At the crashing sound behind him, he looked over his shoulder briefly to see one of the skyscrapers surrounding the plaza crumble and fall down, sliced right through by Anya's attack.

"You've gotta be kidding me," he said, turning his attention back to the dark girl, Joiner and Divider appearing in his hands. Getting back to his feet, he charged towards her, his feet sending up splashes of rainwater in the dark. Sidestepping a vertical slash of darkness, he lashed out with his aura blades, clashing against her lance before sliding past on the slick, wet pavement. Pushing off the slippery black ground, he lunged at her back. Anya retaliated mercilessly with a sweeping upwards slash of her Shadow Lance, slamming into him and sending him flying over her head.

Flying through the air, Diant aimed the white blade down, a beam of light firing from its tip and joining him to the ground. Using this connection, he brought his tumbling flight under control and pulled it into a powerful downwards dive towards the one who'd sent him flying in the first place. Severing the connection, he brought both blades over his head for a powerful crushing blow.

His weapons slammed into Anya, meeting her raised Shadow Lance and still slamming her to the ground. She bounced once off the hard, wet surface before disappearing in a blur of shadows. Diant barely had time to react as she appeared behind him, lunging forwards in a piercing strike.

He blocked the attack, both the force of it and his evasive measures sending him sliding backwards in a wake of shadow and water until he came to a halt nearly on the other end of the plaza from her, dark smoke rising from his upraised blades where she had struck him.

As he watched, Anya raised her Shadow Lance above her head in a throwing position, as if it were a javelin. Opening her hand, the dark spar rose from her palm, hovering a few feet above her head. Then, suddenly, the air filled with spears, lines of darkness that cut through the night, a veritable swarm. Then, at Anya's motion, they all flew forwards towards Diant.

There was a resounding crash as they struck the other side of the plaza, obscuring everything in an explosion of dark spars, shadow and water. When it finally cleared, it revealed Diant, still standing, but bloodstained and breathing hard. All around him were broken Shadow Lances stuck in the pavement or the sides of the building behind him, many of them only inches from his body. A number of them were dripping blood.

"You're serious, huh?" he gasped out, wiping the blood and rain from his eyes. "Then I'll get serious also!"

Shadows ripped across his body as he assumed the Dark Form, dismissing his blades as deathly blue flames burst from his fingertips. Charging forwards, he slung the burning fireballs at his opponent, the azure lights sizzling in the rain as they sped towards Anya.

The girl deftly dispatched the twin fusillades with successive slashes of her Shadow Lance. As she did, Diant finished covering the distance, lashing out recklessly with Joiner and Divider. His blades clashed with excessive force against her lance, the two of them sending waves and arcs of darkness firing off into the night as their attacks rebounded off each other. They seemed evenly matched, but Diant could see the difference. He was pushing her back.

Step by step, his relentless assault was forcing her back across the plaza. Lunging towards her recklessly, he struck out with both blades, forcing her to leap backwards out of the way, up the stairs of Memory's Skyscraper, the large central building that dominated the plaza. Launching waves of darkness from his blades to keep her on the defensive, Diant charged up the stairs after her. As he readied his blades to strike, the dark girl took this opportunity to launch her counterattack. Just as Diant reached the top of the stairs, they both struck.

Blades clashed and rattled against the long spar of darkness she held. The two of them struggled, arms shaking as they each tried to push a weakness into the other's defense. Rain streaming down his face, Diant stared into the soulless black eyes that stared out from Anya's face. Then he made his decision.

Diant dismissed his aura blades and leapt forwards. With nothing to stop it, the Shadow Lance came slicing down, biting deep into his shoulder, barely missing his head. However, this did nothing to halt Diant's charge towards her. Grabbing both her shoulders, Diant grit his teeth against the pain and continued running forwards, finally slamming her against the front of the building beneath which they fought. He put all his effort, all his power and darkness into the attack, the impact causing a shockwave of black and making the entire building shake.

Anya's head flew back, hitting the building hard before coming back forwards, the darkness in her eyes flickering momentarily before disappearing. Diant stood there, holding her pinned against the structure, his Dark Form fading from his body in exhaustion even as the long, deadly lance piercing his shoulder disappeared from its wound.

"Anya…" he said softly, trying to catch her attention as she averted her face, a dazed look in her eyes.

"Get away from me," she muttered weakly. "I hate you. You hate me. Leave me alone."

"Why are you fighting so hard?" Diant asked, pressing her tightly against the building as she made a feeble attempt to escape his grasp.

"Because you said I was weak," she said with a hurt tone. "You hate me because I'm just in your way."

"That's not true," he said, frowning at her. He could see tears forming in her eyes, though it was hard to tell with all the rain.

"Yes it is," she replied, shrinking away from him.

"No, it's not," he asserted, giving her a shake. "I don't hate you."

"You're just saying that," she said. "But you meant it when you said you hated me. I could tell. And I always knew. You resented me. You just never said so before. You were holding it in. But now I know. You don't have to keep pretending."

"That wasn't me," said Diant. "I don't hate you."

"You do!" she yelled, flailing wildly in his grasp, pounding on him with her fists. "You do! You do!"

"Anya, stop it!" he shouted, gripping her shoulders tightly and shaking her again. "Listen to me!" He suddenly released one hand, cupping her chin and forcing her to look at him. "Look at me, Anya. I'm not lying. I don't hate you. I've never hated you."

"Prove it," she said sullenly, averting her eyes even if she was forced to face him.

So he did, in the only way he could think of. He kissed her.

Anya's eyes widened in surprise, and she struggled momentarily, punching him in protest. But soon, her fighting stopped, and her arms fell to her sides, before wrapping around him, pulling herself close to him. She closed her eyes, enjoying the soft feel of his lips on hers. Then, all too soon, it ended. He pulled back from her, and she opened her eyes, blushing madly as he looked at her with a cocky grin.

"So, how's that for proof?" he said. When she could only hide her face in embarrassment, he laughed. "You get it now? Whatever you heard earlier was a lie from that fake, the one we met way back when. This is the real me. I don't hate you."

"You… l-like me?" she asked shyly, still not meeting his eyes. She waited anxiously for his reply, fidgeting nervously as she tried to get over the shock of what happened. After a long moment of contemplation, Diant gave her his answer.

"Not in particular," he said with a shrug, "but I suppose you're okay."

"Wh-what?" she sputtered, turning back to him with a surprised stare, her face still flushed. "What kind of– y-you idiot!"

She started hitting him with her fists, only causing him to laugh more until one of her embarrassed strikes struck the wound in his shoulder.

"Ow, ow, hey!" he said, still laughing. "Come on, can't you take a joke?"

She grabbed the front of his jacket, drawing him towards her and looking up at him with a hurt expression.

"How do you really feel about me?" she asked seriously, looking on the verge of tears or another tantrum. Diant's grin slid from his face, replaced by a somewhat sheepish expression under such a serious glare.

"Well," he started uncomfortably, looking to the side, "I don't hate you. Isn't that enough?"

"Diant!" she protested, shaking him roughly.

The boy just laughed, before pulling out of her grasp and dancing away down the steps.

"Come on, or I'm gonna leave you behind!" he called over the pattering of the falling rain, flashing her a roguish grin.

"Answer me, Diant!" she yelled desperately, chasing after him in the rain.

"Not a chance!"

Laughing all the way, Diant led her away from that dark city, smiling only on the outside. The happiness he felt now was only a paper-thin layer over the dread in his heart. He knew they were nearing the end now. And in the end, he would have to face _him_.

* * *

_Finally: Man, I've really lost momentum or something. Probably doesn't help that I'm trying to re-watch all of Eureka 7 either. New shows to recommend: Kaiji and Minami-ke. For Christmas I'm hoping for FFXII: Revenant Wings and Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker. Not much else to say, I suppose. Maybe some of you guys might drop a review before this is all over?_

_Next Chapter: The end of The Forgotten Castle, Anya meets Daxtin meets Diant meets Naminé_ _meets Luciella meets Pride._


	24. The Choice

Chapter 23: The Choice

* * *

Diant and Anya's laughter was cut short as they walked out of the White Room, immediately noticing the dark figure barring their way. Standing before the stairs upwards was an unmistakable pale, young girl in black dress, holding a sewn-up stuffed rabbit. 

"My, don't you look carefree," said Luciella. "Are you sure you should really be laughing so soon? You aren't out of here yet."

"You think I don't know that?" snapped Diant, the smile disappearing from his face immediately. He gave a sigh of frustration before crossing his arms and directing a level glare at the girl. "We've fought the entire way here, and I don't have any illusions about it getting any easier."

"You seemed to have gotten this far okay," commented the Doll Master lightly.

"With no thanks to you," countered the boy. "Your stupid replica caused us a lot of trouble earlier. Don't think I'll forgive you."

"Did it now?" murmured Luciella, raising an eyebrow in interest. "Well, I'll let you know I had nothing to do with that. I only made it for its interactions with Daxtin, so anything it did after those planning stages were resolved were completely autonomous and outside my control, parameters, or care. Perhaps it merits more study," she mused. Turning her attention back to Diant and Anya, she asked, "Tell me, do you know where it is now?"

"On the other side," said Diant. "I defeated it."

"A pity," said Luciella. Then she shrugged. "Well, that's not what I came here to discuss anyway, so it's a small loss."

"What did you come here for?" asked Anya cautiously.

"Why, for the two of you of course," she replied with a smile. "I've come to offer you a choice. Or rather, bring you to someone who will offer you that choice."

"A choice?" said Diant suspiciously. "What kind of choice?"

"That's for you to find out," replied Luciella. She held out her hand in offering. "If you come with me."

"Why should we go with you?" he demanded, eying her hand as if it were a poisonous serpent, ready to strike.

"Oh, don't you want to meet Naminé?" said Luciella, a glimmer in her eyes and the hint of a smile playing on her lips.

"Naminé?" muttered Diant, frowning. "Somehow, that name…"

"And you, don't you want to see Daxtin?" asked Luciella, turning to Anya.

"You can take us to Daxtin?" said Anya, face lighting up.

"Still, why should we trust you?" interjected Diant.

"You shouldn't," she replied simply. "But simply put, I'm the only reason the Seven don't have their hands on Daxtin. I'm also the reason Kairi came to you in the darkness."

"How do you…" said Diant, jumping back as if suddenly shocked.

"So, do you want to meet them?" she asked, proffering her hand to them again.

"Is it really okay?" asked Anya, turning to Diant.

"I don't know," he said. Then he reached out and took Luciella's outstretched hand. "But I intend to find out."

Anya nodded and added her hand to theirs.

"Good then," said Luciella with a devious smile. "Let's be on our way."

They were enveloped in a swirl of shadows, and then they were gone.

* * *

"We're here," stated Luciella blandly as they appeared in a nearly identical hallway, the darkness dispersing around them. Looking around, they found the only difference was instead of a set of stairs, there was a large set of double doors. 

"They're through there?" said Diant, inclining his head towards the doors. Luciella nodded.

"Just go in," she said, drop their hands and standing back against the wall next to the doors. "I'll be here to take you back when you come out. _If_ you come out."

"If? What do you mean?" asked the boy suspiciously.

"You'll have to make a choice," said the gloomy girl. "Depending on what you choose, you may or may not leave that room."

"I don't suppose you'll tell us what the choice is?" he said irritably.

"Of course not," she said with a small hint of a smile.

"Fine," said Diant, giving a shrug. "Let's just see what this is about."

With that, he brushed past her, pushing the doors open as Anya followed.

Inside was a spacious white room, empty of any sort of furnishings or even limiting dimensions, instead appearing to be an endless plane of white, only broken up by two figures. One was the enormous, flower-like pod standing in the center, and a few feet from it, a young girl with mussed platinum blonde hair and an overly-large jacket sitting on a plain chair with a drawing pad on her lap. As the doors closed behind them, she looked up from her drawing, looking at Diant and Anya with eerily familiar eyes.

"Hello," she said with a smile, standing up and tucking her pad of paper under one arm. "My name is Naminé. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," said Anya, returning the smile. "I'm Anya."

"You know me. We've already met," replied Diant flatly. It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.

"Hmm?" said the blonde curiously.

"You're the one that pretended to be Kairi back in the darkness," he explained. "I recognize your scent… like Kairi's, but not quite." He paused and stared closely at her face for a few seconds before continuing. "You have the same eyes."

"It's because… I'm Kairi's Nobody," said Naminé.

"Kairi… has a Nobody?" asked Anya in surprise.

"She's a Princess of Heart though," pointed out Diant. "She doesn't have any darkness in her heart, so she can't have a Heartless. How can she have a Nobody?"

"It's because of you," explained the girl. "Kairi gave her heart to you, so when you were lost to the darkness, in that moment of separation from your body, I was created. I was made from your body and soul, but Kairi's heart. That's why I'm connected to you, and moreover, to the other Nobody who was created in that same moment: Daxtin."

As she said this, the pod next to her opened, its metallic petals peeling back one by one to reveal the unconscious boy floating in the crystalline center.

"What did you do to him?" asked Diant suspiciously, suddenly on his guard as he stared at his captive Nobody.

"Some things happened," Naminé explained sadly, "And I changed Daxtin's memories, rewrote them. But I'm fixing that now. It may take a while, but I'm going to fix this. But in order to do that…"

"He has to sleep like this, huh?" finished Diant, relaxing a little.

"He looks really peaceful," commented Anya, looking up at the sleeping form.

"How long will he have to sleep?" asked Diant, turning his attention to Naminé.

"I don't know," the girl admitted, looking away. "Maybe only a few days, or maybe a month. Maybe a week or a year. Maybe longer. I've never done this before, so…" She sighed, and then brought her eyes back up to Diant's. "And now, I have a choice for you: will you sleep here like him?"

"Why? No one's been messing with my memories," said Diant, not seeing what she meant.

"I'm asking for a different reason," she said. "It's about Pride. About Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness."

"What about him?" asked Diant guardedly.

"He still has a connection to you, even if you've distanced yourself from him," she explained. "The body he resides in now is dying, because of your attacks on him. But he still has one last refuge: your heart. As long as that path is open to him, he can never be truly defeated."

"Then what am I supposed to do? Kill myself?" he suggested, half-joking, half-serious.

"No, nothing that drastic," said Naminé. "I can lock away your heart. I can seal away the darkness in there. You'll sleep, just like Daxtin, and when you wake up, your past heart, and Ansem with it, will be gone."

"But if you seal his heart…" said Anya, coming to a sudden realization.

"I'll lose all my memories, won't I?" finished Diant.

"…yes," admitted Naminé. "That's the price."

"And if I don't want to pay?" he asked challengingly. "You said this was a choice. What's my other option?"

"You can face the darkness head on," said Naminé. "Face Ansem in the depths of the darkness. If you can defeat him there, in the deepest reaches of your heart, you can be free."

"And if I lose?"

"Then you'll be lost to the darkness," she answered. "Ansem, Pride, will take your body and your darkness, and become more powerful than ever before. After that, well…"

"I see," said Diant, crossing his arms as he considered his options. He looked contemplatively up at the unconscious body of his Nobody. "Will I sleep that well?"

"Of course," replied Naminé.

Diant looked back to her before breaking out in a grin.

"Well, taking the easy way out's never been my style anyway," he said. "I'm more one to charge ahead and reach for what I want. I'll fight him."

"I thought you might," said Naminé with a smile. The smile faded from her face though as she turned to Anya. "However, this brings us to your choice. It's a simple one, but all the harder for it."

"What is it?" asked the girl worriedly.

"Which one will you stay with?" asked the blonde, indicating Diant and Daxtin with each arm.

"What do you mean?" asked Anya, refusing to understand.

"Daxtin has to stay here until he gets his memories back," stated Naminé simply. "Diant is going back to face Pride. You have to choose which one you will stay with."

"Can't I help Diant fight Pride, then we can come back here for Daxtin?" asked Anya, even though she knew the answer.

"That won't be possible," said Naminé sadly. "Once you've made your decision, I'm going to seal this room and relocate it. Partly because of the nature of some of the things I'll have to do to restore Daxtin's memories, but also because if Diant loses…"

"He won't lose!" protested Anya.

"We don't know that," pointed out Diant with a frown.

"Don't say things like that, Diant!" said the girl, tears welling up in her eyes. She turned back to Naminé. "He won't lose, you don't have to do that!"

"I can't risk this boy," said Naminé, shaking her head. "There's a conflict brewing on the horizon, and Daxtin's going to be a key part of it. I can't risk him falling into Pride's hands if the worst should happen. So you have to choose now, Anya. Do you go with Diant to face Pride? Or do you stay with Daxtin, to be there when he awakens?"

"What'll happen depending on what I choose?" she asked, stalling for time.

"If you go with Diant, you will face the same danger as him," explained Naminé. "I cannot guarantee your safety, just as I cannot guarantee his own. If you stay here… my work on Daxtin will affect your memories as well. You'll forget many of the same things that Daxtin will."

"So I'll lose all my memories from this castle?" she asked worriedly, heart racing.

"Only the things Daxtin knew," said Naminé. "Such as the castle itself, the White Rooms… and me."

"But not… Diant, right?" she said carefully.

"No, you won't lose your time with him, but you'll forget the replica, since Daxtin met him," answered Naminé.

"That's fine," said Naminé, relaxing a little. Still, even if it wasn't a complete loss, having to part from him now…

"I'm going to have ask you to choose now, Anya," said Naminé sadly. "Which one?"

Anya looked from one boy to the other, from the calm, sleeping face of Daxtin to the waiting expression of Diant. The first two boys she'd ever been friends with, both the same person yet so utterly different. How was she supposed to choose? Increasing panic filled her head as she couldn't decide, reasons colliding and disintegrating in her mind as conflicting emotions welled up from her heart. She felt as if she was going to be torn in two, when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Anya found herself looking up into Diant's grinning face.

"Go ahead," he said. "I'll be fine on my own. A softy like him will probably need your help when he wakes up from a nap that long, so take care of him."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "You'll really be all right by yourself?"

"I won't be by myself," he said confidently. "You'll be with me. Here."

He pointed to his chest with a thumb, giving an infectious grin.

"Right," said Anya, giggling a little. "Well, then, I'll be waiting for you. You'll come find us, right?"

"Of course," he said. He turned then to go. "Well, I better be off."

"Hey, Diant…" Anya called after him, causing him to stop. "You know, I really… really…" She blushed, unable to bring herself to say it.

"I know," he said. He looked back over his shoulder and flashed her a grin. "You really don't hate me. And you know what? I don't hate you either."

Anya laughed, a little embarrassedly, and Diant chuckled slightly too.

"What's this about, now?" asked Naminé, tilting her head curiously.

"Just a little joke," said Anya with as smile, watching as Diant turned back towards the door and went to leave. "Come back safely!"

"I promise," replied Diant, giving a flick of his hand in acknowledgement as he left. Then the door closed behind him, and disappeared seamlessly into the endless white. And the room was closed.

* * *

"Is what you said, but do you really think you can do this alone?" said Luciella as Diant walked out into the hallway again. She was still standing by the door as if she hadn't even moved while he was inside, but her stuffed rabbit told a different story; its body was under one little black shoe, while its head was tucked under one arm. 

"I hope that isn't some thinly veiled offer of help, because I've about had it up to here with mysterious dark strangers offering me power," said Diant, looking down at her with mild disdain. "Anyway, I made a promise."

"And you're quite the saintly oath-keeper, aren't you?" murmured the girl dryly. "Anyway, are you ready to go?"

"As I'll ever be," said Diant gloomily as he took her proffered hand and the two of them disappeared in a swirl of darkness.

The reappeared in another identical hallway; the only thing that told Diant they weren't back where they had first teleported with Luciella was the lack of stairs, and the only thing telling him they had moved at all was the difference in the size of the door at the end of the hall; this door was much less grand than the one leading to the endless white were Naminé was. There was one other thing also.

"This stench," said Diant, wrinkling his nose. "This darkness. Ansem's beyond these doors, isn't he?"

"Well, you did come to face him, didn't you?" said Luciella.

"I guess," said Diant, eying the doors with distaste. "So, before I go to my death, tell me: what's your part in this. Why are you helping us all of the sudden?"

"And why should I tell someone about to die?" quipped the girl.

"Why shouldn't you?" shot back Diant.

"Very well," she said, giving a shrug. "I'll tell you this much: though I don't have the same goals as you or your allies, we coincide in our wish for the downfall of the Seven and their master."

"The Seven? Where have I heard that before…" muttered Diant to himself.

"It's the group that Pride belongs to, along with the late Lust, among others," Luciella reminded him. "It's not clear what their goals are, other than their seeming fascination with your Nobody, but I have some suspicions."

"Whatever," said Diant, disinterested. "So we just happen to be in the same boat for now, but I shouldn't expect any favors in the future, huh?"

"Exactly," said Luciella. "I'm glad we understand each other."

"So," Diant supposed, "if I lose, you're going to take advantage of our weakened conditions to wipe Pride out, aren't you?"

"Possibly," she said with an impish smile.

"I won't give you the satisfaction," he said with a grin.

"We'll see," said Luciella, before disappearing in a swirl of shadows.

Diant turned his attention then to the doors before him. Despite their modest white appearance, he could feel the darkness exuding from behind them, and almost palpable wave of dread washing over him.

"Let's do this thing," he said finally, steeling himself and opening the doors to the abyss.

* * *

Inside was another room of white, and standing in its center, was Pride, a figure in black against the bright background. 

"So you've come," said the swordsman, flashing a cruel smile. "And alone this time, I see. Did that Heartless girl abandon you finally?"

"Nah," said Diant confidently. "She's taking a break; I don't need her help to take on a has-been like you. Speaking of which, you don't look so good."

It was true. Pride's clothes were torn, and his breathing ragged. One hand still clutched his gut where Diant had struck him before.

"Are you concerned about my health?" mocked Pride. "Have no worry, for I assure you that I'll be your master soon enough; have patience."

"No, I don't think I will," growled Diant, his blades flashing into his hands. "I'm sick of you acting the big bad guy, and I think it's time I do the world a favor and end you."

"If you can," said Pride, straightening and drawing his silver rapier.

Diant gave a yell and charged forwards. He lashed out with both aura blades, Pride dancing nimbly back out of the way. As Diant charged recklessly in, coming in low, only to meet with the darting tip of Pride's rapier. The silvery blade sliced across his cheek, trailing droplets of blood that stained the pure white floor. Diant winced in pain, and in that moment when he closed his eyes, Pride's other hand came around, burning with black essence, and slammed into his stomach, sending him flying back.

Diant regained his orientation before landing; turning a twist in the air, the darkness flared and wrapped around him. By the time his feet touched the floor, he was fully enshrouded in the Dark Form.

"Dark Firaga!" he yelled as he hit the ground running, flinging a burning blue ball of flame at his opponent. Pride was taken off guard by this quick recovery, managing to deflect the attack, but the impact of it knocking him off balance. Diant charged right into him, his blades slamming hard into the man, a series of strikes that sent him stumbling back.

"Impressive," spat Pride, jumping back from the fray during a momentary break in Diant's rain of blows. "But can you handle this?"

He raised his blade up, dark shadows flaring from it and surrounding it.

"What, that 'Dark Blade' of yours?" scoffed Diant. "That kind of attack can't hurt me!"

"The Dark Blade was the technique of a mere mortal prince," said Pride condescendingly. "This is the power of one of the Seven, the Shadow Blade!"

As he said this, the darkness surrounding the silver blade coalesced into a thin veneer with slithering tendrils that hissed sinisterly. Pride lunged forwards, lashing out with this new power, the darkness expanding like a swarm of snakes from his blade as he struck out at Diant.

The boy dodged beyond the reach of Pride's weapon, but the darkness coating it reached beyond its physical constraints, leaping out at Diant and grabbing at him, attaching its many-armed reach along his chest and left shoulder. As Pride swung the blade, the tendrils followed, tearing long strips of Diant's Dark Form from his body.

Diant yelled in unexpected pain, feeling as if the flesh were being stripped from his bone. Though intense, it was only momentary. as the darkness soon faded from Pride's blade, and Diant's black armor quickly grew back and filled in the hole that had been torn in its protective layer.

"Is that all?" gasped Diant, quickly regaining his composure. "That wasn't any better!"

"Is that so?" murmured Ansem with disdain for his bravado. "Then have some more: Shadow Blade!"

Diant charged towards him, only slowing slightly as slashing waves of dark tendrils tore away at the black musculature that covered him. Finally closing the distance, he leapt towards Pride, bringing Joiner and Divider over his head.

"This is it!" yelled Diant, deathly blue flames and black energies burning from his twin blades. He brought the two blades down, smashing through Pride's hastily raised blade and crashing into him with an explosion of darkness and power. There was a blast of shade and shadow as Pride gave one last cry of pain before disappearing, his body dispersing in a dark mist.

Diant stood there, panting and sweating in the white room by himself.

"Well," he said, "I guess that's that."

"Of course not," said a familiar voice.

"Ansem!? Where are you?" he demanded, looking around, blades at the ready.

"In your heart, of course," came Pride's voice. "By destroying me, you have sealed your fate. You see, when I said this was merely a temporary body, that was a lie. It was more than that. It was also a trap: one that would create a binding pact between me and the one who destroyed it. And of course, that was you. And now, you are mine."

Shadows began spreading out from Diant's feet, quickly spreading across the floor. As they hit the walls, the wave of black climbed up the walls, swallowing the white and the light that went with them.

"And now, welcome to eternal darkness," said Pride as he appeared once before him, but now healthy, hale, and radiating a dark, unquestionable power.

"Where is this?" demanded Diant, looking around at the endless black.

"The very depths of your heart," replied Pride, "within the center of the seed of darkness that I planted in you so long ago. Here, we are surrounded by a darkness that is mine, and mine alone; the rest of your heart is cut off from us now. See how your shadows forsake you, here in true darkness."

He indicated at Diant's body with his sword, causing the boy to look down. Sure enough, the Dark Form was fading from him, choked off by the pervasive darkness that surrounded them, Pride's darkness.

"Tch, whatever," said Diant with confidence he didn't feel. "I'll just beat you with these two blades!"

He charged forwards recklessly, but Pride was ready for him. With a slick charging of his silver blade, he once more unleashed his terrible power upon the boy.

"Shadow Blade!" he declaimed as he lashed out with dark and sinister tendrils. The black energies latched onto Diant, tearing at him as they did before. This time, however, was completely different.

Diant was prepared for the pain, but the torment he felt was overwhelming. He screamed in agony as the black shadows tore at him, lifting his essence away from his body like a pale reflection of himself, a gossamer shell fractured and peeled from his skin. The intensity of pain was exponential compared to what he had experienced before, and a single strike sent him staggering to a halt.

A second sent him reeling, unable to focus, unable to balance. A third stripped him of his ability to tell up from down; all he could feel was pain. A fourth tearing, stripping, agonizing wave of darkness sent him crashing to the ground.

"Now can you see the difference?" said Pride, towering above him as he convulsed painfully on the ground. Diant struggled and writhed on his stomach, unable even to lift his face off the black ground. "Without your darkness to protect you, you feel the effects of my Shadow Blade full on. You are left helpless before it as it tears away at your very soul. Here, within my seed of darkness in the very depths of your heart, you are nothing. You are trapped, a prisoner of my will. Now, submit!"

Pride brought his shining silver blade speeding down towards the body lying before him, aiming to pierce the crown of his skull. But a sudden movement blocked the way, and his blade halted in a crimson splash of blood.

"You're wrong," gasped Diant, pushing himself off the ground with one hand, the other hand pierced through by Pride's cruel blade.

"What?" hissed the swordsman, pulling his sword out and stepping back away from him.

"You're wrong, Ansem," said Diant, staggering to his knees. "If this is in my heart, then I may be trapped in this seed of darkness, but your tiny seed of darkness is trapped in an ocean of mine." He stumbled to his feet, bloody and swaying, but standing. "You're the real prisoner here."

"Shut up! You're cut off here, you can't do anything!" shouted Pride. "My darkness is a barrier between you and your power!"

"With me on one side and all the power and darkness you so wanted on the other," said Diant, taking a gasping step towards his opponent. "Do you really think it's wise to stand between the two?"

"I made you!" roared Pride angrily. "You were my apprentice!"

"But no longer," said Diant, suddenly charging forwards in a stumbling run. He dove under Pride's punitive strike, coming up and grabbing the cruel prince by the collar. "Now, give me your darkness."

Pride winced in pain as dark essence drained off him towards the boy assaulting him, the air around him shaking as the dark space enclosing them buckled and paled. Giving a shove, he pushed away the horribly injured boy and leapt back, sinister slithering shadows encasing his blade once more.

"Shadow blade!" he yelled, unleashing his soul-tearing strike. Diant only stood there, hunched and bloodied as the wave of darkness tore through the air towards him. Then, seconds before it reached him, he brought his hand up along with one single word.

"Shade!" shouted Diant, eyes flashing upwards to meet those of his foe's. The air between them suddenly filled with shimmering, clashing strikes of black on darkened black, Pride's Shadow Blade against a near-invisible wall of black heart-shaped emblems. These emblems were not those of the Heartless, with the jagged red lines crossing them out, but hearts of pure black. Pure darkness.

"Impossible!" yelled Pride as the paling curtain around them shattered, disappearing before the furious torrents of true darkness they'd been holding back. The sea of darkness came roaring in like a hurricane, siphoning down towards one single point: Diant.

"You called yourself the Seeker of Darkness, Ansem," shouted Diant over the roaring winds that ripped through the space as the darkness came into him. He harnessed this massive influx of power, channeling into his re-summoned aura blades. "Well, congratulations: you've found it. I'm going to give it to you."

He charged towards the stunned prince, the sheer pressure and magnitude of his power holding Pride in place.

"This is my heart, and you aren't welcome!" he roared as he closed the distance. "Take this! Heart of Darkness!"

Diant brought his blades around, slamming into Pride with all his might, all his will, all his darkness. The world suddenly flashed white as every speck of black came to a single point, the point of impact. Then it exploded out in an all-consuming wave of darkness, disintegrating all before it.

"It… it can't end this way!" screamed Pride as he was blown away, disappearing like mist before a gale. Then he was gone, and so was the darkness. Only Diant remained, alone, in the empty white room.

"Unfortunately for you," he said with finality, "it just did."

* * *

_Procrastination: Well, we're finally done. That's the final chapter of The Forgotten Castle. I hope you enjoyed it, even if it was a half-rehash of CoM. I planned to get this done by new years, but we see how that turned out. Anyway, my thanks and congratulations to anyone who managed to follow along this far without giving up on me. All that's left now is the Epilogue and so on. Then next is the final book of Kingdom Hearts: Memorandum, Sin of Remembrance. Of course, it'll be a while before that happens. Besides having to write out a full plan (the only reason I finished either MoN or TFC is due to having a full plan beforehand), I'm going to reread and edit both Memories of Nobody and the Forgotten Castle for the numerous spelling errors and so on that are present in both works. But don't worry, I won't change anything, so don't feel like you need to reread them. Also, this is your last chance to give a review and let me know what you think? laughs I suppose not, if you haven't after this long. Well, see you guys on the Other Side._


	25. Epilogue

Epilogue:

* * *

"Nice job, boy." 

"I don't want to hear that kind of condescending tone from a shrimp like you," groaned Diant as he closed the doors to Castle Oblivion behind him. He stared down disdainfully at the darkly dressed girl that was waiting on the steps.

"What, were you expecting some kind of congratulations?" mocked Luciella, tilting her head in mild amusement as she stared back, unwavering. "Or perhaps a celebratory party?"

"Just shut it," he said irritably, giving a sigh, then staring back up over his shoulder at the towering castle. Its bizarre, brown-green architecture with its sideways towers and pointed rooftops really gave no indication of the whiteness inside, or the insidious rooms within. "This castle's given me enough trouble already, I'm not in the mood for your jokes. Just tell me what you want now; I really doubt you were waiting for me out of concern."

"I'm just interested to see where you'll go, Diant," said the girl, hugging her much-abused bunny indifferently. "What will you do now that you've defeated Pride?"

"Sort of," he disagreed. "There's still a bit of him in me. It's faint, but I can still smell it. I want to wash that off of me before I go home." He sighed again and turned his view towards the twilit horizon. "Besides, there's still those 'Seven' or whoever out there. They're after my Nobody, which puts Anya in danger also. I suppose I'll go after them." He laughed a little then. "Maybe I can do some _good_ deeds for a change. Some stuff to cancel out all the things I've done?"

"So you're looking for redemption?" mused Luciella.

"Yeah, maybe I am," he said with a nod. "If Ansem was the Seeker of Darkness, maybe I can be a seeker too. Not of the light; I know what I am now. But of something else. I'll be the Seeker of Redemption."

"I see," murmured the girl. "And how do you plan to go about this?"

"I hadn't really thought that far ahead," he admitted, unabashed but for a small frown.

"Well, then I suppose I can lend you one last helping hand," said Luciella. Diant raised a suspicious eyebrow at this. "Oh, it's nothing big, and it's hardly out of my way. I find you interesting, is all."

"Yeah? And what's this help you're offering?" he asked, still wary.

"I can you take you _there_," she said, a sinister smile gracing her lips.

"What do you mean? Where?" asked Diant, puzzled.

"The Other Side."

* * *

"How is he?" 

Naminé sighed and smiled patiently, brushing a strand of her mussed blonde hair from her face.

"The same as yesterday, Anya," she replied, still studying the drawing in her lap intently. "I told you this might take a while, and it's only been two days."

The dark girl continued staring at the floating boy in the crystalline flower. After a few moments of this, she turned her attention to the girl.

"You said you moved us, after you sealed the room," said Anya. "Do you know where we are?"

"Not really," said Naminé. "I just asked for us to be somewhere safe, and the room obliged. I don't really know where it is, just that it's safe."

"Do you think I could…" started Anya, trailing off as she looked towards the place where the door once was.

"I'm sorry," said Naminé, shaking her head. "But opening this room would not only compromise the security of the seal, but might have repercussions on Daxtin too."

Anya sighed, but didn't press the matter. The room was silent for a few more minutes, before Anya gave a small groan of pain.

"Are you all right?" asked Naminé, looking up from her drawings in concern.

"Yeah, it's just… my head kind of hurt," said the dark girl. "And I felt kind of dizzy."

"So you are being affected," said Naminé sadly.

"I'm fine," Anya assured her. Nonetheless, she looked concerned.

Naminé watched her for a moment, before putting down her drawing pad and pencils. The sharp clatter of noise amid the prevailing silence caught Anya's attention, waking her from her thoughts.

"What's up?" she asked. She gave a puzzled frown at Naminé's smile.

"Time for a break," said the blonde cheerfully. "You look a little down."

"No, don't worry about me," said Anya, flushing slightly.

"Well, I needed a little break anyway," asserted Naminé. "This is harder than I thought. So let's take a break."

"Okay," said Anya, giving in, "but where? We can't leave the room."

"We don't need to," said Naminé. She swept an arm out, indicating the seemingly endless white surrounding them. "We may have left Castle Oblivion, but this is still a White Room. I have some control over them. I can mix, rewrite, and even create memories for it to make illusions of." She looked around at the white, seeing infinite possibilities in the blank space. "We can go anywhere we want. In time, I think I can use it to help Daxtin." She brought her eyes back to Anya. "So, where should we go first?"

"How about…" Anya thought aloud, looking around for inspiration. Her gaze inevitably fell to the only other current feature of the room: Daxtin. "Let's go to Twilight Town."

* * *

Rann stood on the edge, gazing down into the abyss. The dirt path had led him here, to a seeming dead end. The green fields that surrounded the path, stretching from horizon to horizon, extended in every direction but forwards. Before him was nothing but darkness, an emptiness from where the land simply ended and the shadows began. There would be no turning back.

"I'm coming, Meili," he said. And then he stepped off the edge, and into darkness.


	26. Extra Epilogue

Extra Epilogue:

* * *

She gazed up at the figure above her, trying to make sense of the blurred shapes and darkened features. Far off, she could hear screams and yells, explosions and fighting. She could feel the ground shake beneath her, but she felt safe, wrapped in the big strong arms that held her tight. A momentary flash of lightning illuminated the face of the one who lifted her in his arms, and she wondered how she could have ever not recognized him. 

"Brother…" she said weakly, unable to tell if she was injured or sleepy, or perhaps they were the same thing.

"It's okay now," said the one holding her. She looked around, but didn't recognize where they were. He was carrying her down a long hallway, and soon down a flight of stairs. "It's going to be all right."

They continued, down, down into the night as the noises of conflict and terror faded behind them. She clung tightly to him, unable to make sense of what was going on.

"Where are you taking me?" she finally asked, managing to string the question together after many minutes of fuzzy contemplation.

"Somewhere safe," he said.

_But I'm already safe,_ she thought. _I'm with you._

"It's too dangerous outside now," he said. "Too many dangerous things, with hearts, and keys and prophecies. But don't worry. I'll protect you from it." He came to halt, causing her to look around. The room was dark, the only illumination the distant light from the top of the stairs, so far off and distant, like a star in the heavens. Suddenly, she felt herself being lowered; she struggled to try and stay close to the safe warmth of his body, but in her weakened state could do nothing about it. She descended into a walled structure just a little bit bigger than she was, like a box, or a coffin. She cried out weakly as she felt his arms lay her gently atop the cushioned insides and pull away from her.

"Don't go," she said still unable to make sense of what was happening, only knowing she didn't want him to leave.

"I'm sorry," he said, straightening up and looking down at her. "But I have to do this. I have to leave you." He shook his head sadly. "I'm going to make the world safer for you. And when it's done, I'll come back for you. But for now, I need you to stay safe. So please, stay here for me."

"No, brother…" she said quietly, but already her strength was fading and she could feel her eyes drooping lower, ever closing. And above her, she heard the grating of stone as a black curtain, the lid of her new home, slid across the top slowly blocking out the light, and more importantly, sight of the one who had saved her, and would save her once again.

"Sleep, for now."

* * *

_Dreaming of you, and dreaming of promise;  
A promise to find you, and meet you on the other side._


	27. Preview: One Year Later

Preview: One Year Later

* * *

He was an emissary of the Angel.

He was an apprentice, a harbinger, a messenger and a destroyer of worlds. He was heartless, but not a Heartless; he was nobody, but not a Nobody. A creature of the dark that desired only nothing. A true successor of the Angel.

He grinned widely from behind a curtain of long, disheveled black hair, displaying sharp, jagged teeth. His yellow eyes gleamed in the flickering light of the fires that spread before him. Houses were burning. A town was crumbling. A world was dying.

He strode forwards, confidently despite the left arm that hung uselessly at his side, hidden behind a long sleeve strapped to his upper arm, black like the tight vest he wore and the jagged, hooked designs across his white pants. In his other hand was his weapon, a blade in pure black. A keyblade.

The head of the blade was in the form of a sun, a blazing black sun that heralded the ruin and demise of all who saw it. The haft was a cruel, thin black length that connected the spiked handle and hanguards. Already it was stained with blood. And the night was yet young.

He suddenly charged at a group of men who had armed themselves and gathered against him. Giving a demonic laugh, he tore into the group, his right arm a blur, his left swinging freely behind him, like a dead thing. His blade flashed in the defender's midst, easily parrying, evading, breaking through their weapons and finding home in agonizingly soft flesh. All around him, they fell, hopeless, helpless. Not a one of them more than mere wheat before his scythe.

Then a mighty cry was let out, and from the heavens descended a savior. Blade met blade, and in that clanging instant, the destroyer recognized a fellow in arms: this new man also held a keyblade. The robed defender carried himself proudly, unafraid in the face of this demon that had attacked his home. His stoic defiance only caused the boy, a mere child, but a child of darkness, a harbinger of death, to grin wider.

He charged towards this new victim, eager to whet his blade's unsatiable thirst with the man's blood. But victory was no so easily attained.

The man parried with expert strikes, defending with one arm as he chanted ritualistically, his other arm flying through prayer and motion. As he finished his spell, spears of light fell from the heavens towards the invading devil.

The boy met the oncoming barrage with a maniacal smile before lashing out with his blade, burning black flying from it and striking down the oncoming light. As he did though, his opponent came charging in, striking at his unprotected flank with his blade and sending the demon flying.

He turned in midair, landing to a skidding halt on the dirt road before charging back in at the defender. He dodged another of the man's spells before their blades met, clashing in the harsh firelight of the burning village. Spying an opening, he lunged for the man's shoulder, his black keyblade piercing into the unarmored body. As he did though, he realized that the opening had been left on purpose; in the time that he attacked, the man finished another of his prayer-spells and simultaneously attacked the demon's own sword arm.

Suddenly, he felt searing pain shoot down his arm, and then a heavy, crushing weight. Iron chains, forged harder than steel by faith, bound his sword arm to the ground, immobilizing him and his weapon. The defender backed away from the now disarmed boy and asked for surrender. The invader refused.

With a click, the sleeve around his useless left arm unfastened and fell to the ground. The pale limb hung lifelessly for a moment, before tensing with sudden strength. Black forms shot up its length as an unholy power was suddenly unleashed. The boy raised his arm, his weapon, against the one who sought to stop him.

And then he smiled.

It was over in seconds. The one defender of this world lay beaten at his feet, bloody and maimed. All around, the town burned. And the demon only stood there, grinning in satisfaction.

"Who… who are you?" gasped the man with his dying breaths. "What do you want from us?"

"I desire your deaths," said the destroyer with surprising elegance. "But more than that, I seek the man with the Silver Moon."


End file.
